Hunger and homelessness may not be issues that are at the forefront of every ETSU student’s mind. But maybe they should be.
During the holidays, most people get together with their families and gather around the dinner table. For America’s 36 million who live in poverty, this often isn’t possible.
“At Thanksgiving, hungry people don’t have the opportunity to feast,” said Raj Harricharan-Singh, who is co-chairing this year’s Hunger Banquet with Joy Fulkerson. “Placing [Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week] here is like a reminder.”
Harricharan-Singh also said that college students on campus are not as aware of this issue as he would like them to be. At last year’s banquet, he said, many students became interested in the issue. “But, over time,” he said, “they forget.”
As a reminder of this issue, on Thursday, Nov. 17, Volunteer ETSU will host the Hunger Banquet at 6 p.m. in the Culp Center Ballroom. At the banquet, students will get the chance to experience what it is to live in other social classes.
Students who attend the banquet will be separated into upper, middle and lower classes arbitrarily as they enter the ballroom. The food that they are served is appropriate to what someone in that class would eat.
Some people pass on the lower class food, usually rice and tea.
“But people in other countries don’t pass,” Harricharan-Singh said, “because that’s all you have to eat.”
Seeing how other people live and what they eat aren’t the only activities at the banquet. There will also be several speakers, including Dr. Henry Antkiewicz from the Department of History and a speaker from the Salvation Army. “We are also hoping to get an exchange student from Africa to speak at the banquet,” Harricharan-Singh said.
But Africa isn’t the only country in which hunger and homelessness are an issue. Johnson City may be a small town, but many people here are in need as well.
Efforts to help those who were left homeless as a result of Hurricane Katrina are also affecting this year’s Hunger Banquet.
“One thing we’re afraid of,” said Harricharan-Singh, “is competing with Katrina [fund raising]. We were going to do a coat drive locally, but we decided against it.”
The Hunger Banquet is the highlight of Volunteer ETSU’s activities this week, but they are also involved in a canned food drive.
Boxes to donate to the canned food drive are located on the first floor of most campus buildings. All food must be non-perishable. Proceeds from the drive are donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
Admission to the Hunger Banquet is $2 or five non-perishable food items, which will be donated to the canned food drive. For more information contact Volunteer ETSU at 439-4254.

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