In order to bring awareness to Diablo Valley College students about student hunger, Trey Dao introduced the idea of holding an OXFAM Hunger Banquet to the Associated Students of Diablo Valley College.

The Hunger Banquet would give students a new perspective of living on a low income food plan, while also bringing students together to discuss the issue of student hunger.

Dao gave a presentation to members of the board discussing the budget, location and the benefits to students of holding a Hunger Banquet on campus.

The OXFAM Hunger Banquet makes people who attend randomly draw a card that ranks them into low, medium and high income categories. Each category decides what meal that person will eat.

“It’s based on the luck of the draw,” said Trey Dao. “Just like real life.”

According to OXFAM’s website, “These events help increase our power to respond to global crises, highlight issues of injustice and change the laws that keep people trapped in poverty.”

Dao discussed that the group targeted for the event will be students who are not experiencing hunger or financial issues.

“This is what people have to go through,” said Dao. 

The National Student Campaign Against Hunger And Homelessness reported that 25 percent of community college students meet the qualification of being in low food security and 20 percent of four year college students qualify as well.

Dao said the project should be relatively inexpensive ranging from $4,000 to $5,000 and he hopes to gather approximately 300 people for the event.

DVC students voiced their opinions on the event. Justin Reardon, an architecture major said he thinks it’s educational and that if people go for the concept and not the free food then it’s a good idea.

Jaime Lumayog, a computer engineering major said, “I’ve been in the same situation from low to middle class income.” He believes that the project could be good to open people’s minds to the problems students have with money and food.

“It could change their minds to think ‘this is what people have to eat,'” said Lumayog.

The plan will be presented at future ASDVC meetings to decide what foods to order, how much money to spend on the event, the best space to hold the event and how to advertise the event to students.

The ASDVC council will further plan the banquet with hopes for it to take place early-to-mid spring semester of 2018.