Host an Oxfam Hunger Banquet

Oxfam (Oxford Famine Relief) is an international organization with 14 branches that provide relief to disenfranchised people in 98 countries around the world.

Oxfam was founded by a group of Quaker activists at Oxford University in 1942. Today, the group remains deeply committed to providing sustain solutions that prevent poverty and social injustice.

Every 3.6 seconds someone dies from hunger.

One in four people or 1.3 billion of the world's total population live on less than $1 per day.

Every day, more than 24,000 people die from hunger and malnutrition according to statistics from the Oracle Thick Quest Educational Foundation.

The World Bank estimates, more than 938 million people are suffering from malnourishment and this number grows every minute.

Even more troubling, Americans waste approximately 40% of the food we produce. That equates to approximately 100,000 tons per day. Waste occurs during every stage of the process. To learn more about our chronic food problem, click here.

Food waste also occurs from well-intentioned restrictions of the size, shape and uniformity of all produce. Producers lose vast amounts of money when entire shipments don't conform to these standards. To make matters worse, it's a crime for producers to give these fruits away!

To see a running total of current hunger statistics, visit StopTheHunger.com

Learn more about world hunger and diverse international cultures with these products from Oxfam and hunger activists.

Hosting a Hunger Banquet is a great way to raise awareness about social issues while collecting money for a worth-while cause. Here's how it works:

Modeled after the world's economic structure, the Hunger Banquet represents each income class. 15% of the attendees will be high income bracket, 35% of middle income and 50% of the attendees represent the world's poorest people. To determine the correct ratio, it's essential to have a good estimate of how many people will be attending your event.

High income participants will be treated to a sit-down meal with linens and china. Middle income participants will receive a hearty helping of rice and beans while the poorest people will receive a small amount of rice. When I was involved in hosting the banquet, we used banana leaves for a truly authentic experience.

Part of the fun is you don't know, what meal you'll be eating until you pick a ticket at the door. An enlightening meal isn't the only feature at a Hunger Banquet. Guests will also enjoy an educational film, a keynote speech from a respected local official and optional performances.

If a local dance troupe, folk group or band is willing to play at your event, it can bring a great response from the public.

Hosting a Hunger Banquet takes a lot of hard work and team cooperation, but it's well worth the effort. Anyone can host a hunger banquet. However, school groups, social organizations and faith groups are the most frequent sponsors. By charging $5, your group can easily make $400 if 80 people attend your event.

For for information on hosting your own Hunger Banquet, visit Oxfam's dedicated event page, which includes a variety of free resources for planning your event. Register online and download the Hunger Banquet Toolkit that includes a complete checklist and breakdown of everything you'll need.

To help promote your event and make your hunger banquet a success, Oxfam will provide you with free posters, a DVD, an Oxfam banner and all the promotional materials you need to spread the word. Click the Oxfam link to order.

What It Takes

• A Great Location - like a gymnasium with lots of room for table and attendees.
• A core group of 10+ organizers who can assist with planning, set up, cooking and clean up.
• Food Donations - Food can be donated by people in your group, parents or even a local store. If they can't donate, maybe they can give you a good deal!
• A Keynote Speaker - this can be a teacher, local celebrity or anyone who you think the crowd with love.
• Video Equipment to project an educational film to the audience as well as a hunger clock.
• Table and Chairs.
• Linens, China and silverware (this can be donated or rented from a local party supply vendor.
• Cooks - anyone can help cook rice and beans, but you might need some extra help with high-income meals. Ofxam success, paste, sauce and juice for the high income attendants, but you can go as fancy as you like. We had a local caterer donate some time to cook a wonderful meal for the lucky high-income guests.
• Secondary Entertainment, such as a dance troupe, can make your event even more exciting.

Have You Ever Been To A Hunger Banquet?