LaGuardia Community College Hosts 6th Annual Hunger Banquet and Food Day Fair on Wednesday, November 13
Event organized by the Nutrition & Culinary Management Program aims to educate participants about global hunger, poverty, and injustice
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (November 6, 2024) — LaGuardia Community College/CUNY faculty, staff, and students are invited to the 6th Annual Hunger Banquet and Food Day Fair on Wednesday, November 13. These interactive events, hosted by the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program of the Community Health and Wellness Department, are designed to spark discussions on global food justice and foster understanding of food insecurity among different populations and income levels, both locally and globally.
“We want participants to come away with a deeper understanding of food insecurity, poverty, and discrimination,” said Cynthia Vazquez, BS, RDN, director of the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program.
The annual Hunger Banquet was initiated in 2016 by Dr. Nicolle Fernandes, Community Health and Wellness Chairperson.
Attendees are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food and winter clothing for distribution to students in need through LaGuardia CARES.
The Hunger Banquet will occur from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room E-111. The first 100 participants will be randomly assigned to one of three tables—high-income, middle-class, or no/low-income—and will be served meals according to the socioeconomic level of each table. Faculty and students will lead discussions on food insecurity and encourage participants to share reflections. The event will conclude with a brainstorming session on potential action steps to address poverty, global hunger, and food insecurity.
The Food Day Fair will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the E-Building Atrium. Hosted by Nutrition & Culinary Management program students, the fair will feature games, giveaways, and healthy snacks prepared by the students. Two community partners, Practice Eros Nutrition and the CUNY Student Good Food Jobs program of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute (CUFPI), will be tabling at the event.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jenny Palios, Chief Laboratory Technician for the Nutrition and Culinary Management Program, for her unwavering dedication in coordinating the production of over 500 nutritious and delicious food samples for our annual food fair,” said Ms. Vazquez. “Additionally, a special thank you to Dr. Nicolle Fernandes for her visionary initiative in launching the Hunger Banquet.”
MBJ Catering and the College Association are sponsors of the event.
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
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