A lucky, or unlucky, roll of the die directed guests to
their dining area for the evening that ranged from upper-class to poverty. The
wealthy were seated at elaborately decorated tables complete with shrimp
appetizers and steak dinners while those in poverty were greeted with tables
made of pallets and tarp table cloths. The homeless and lower-class watched the
wealthy and upper-middle class enjoy steak, chicken and even envied the
lower-middle class’s bologna sandwiches while they waited to find out if the
soup kitchen would open before the end of the evening.
The Hunger Banquet did not attempt to simply explain what
poverty is like, it let guests experience it first-hand. Like a game of chance,
families were thrown from the upper-class to lower- class or further when,
during the evening, they lost their jobs, got sick, or in one case, were even
widowed.
“My husband always took care of everything for me. I didn't know about insurance or that we didn't have any…”
“I worked long hours driving a truck... I fell asleep at the wheel… (sobbing)… I didn't mean to hurt anyone; I just wanted to provide for my family.”
“I invested everything in that company. Then came the depression… then the addiction… I lost everything I had ever worked for…”
Guests also heard stories of success. Stories of families
receiving intensive case-management, securing housing, overcoming their
addictions, finding help for their mental illnesses, and overcoming odds and
obstacles by getting accepted into college despite being moved from foster home
to foster home. Many stories of those helped by Northwestern Ohio Community
Action Commission (NOCAC) and The PATH Center illustrated the effectiveness of
Community Action and how creative solutions are effective in alleviating
poverty. NOCAC administers locally controlled programs, creates partnerships
and helps low-income families and individuals across six rural counties in Ohio
while on their path to self-sufficiency.
The Hunger Banquet was an event to remember and just one of the ways
NOCAC works to change the story of poverty in Ohio.
Be sure to check out our video of NOCAC’s 2015 Hunger
Banquet! Are you interested in hosting your own Hunger Banquet? Contact
Angie Franklin at afranklin@nocac.org
for more information.