MLK Hunger Banquet

A grant awarded to WIPPS from the national Martin Luther King Day of Service program will be used to hold an Oxfam Hunger Banquet from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, at First United Methodist Church, 903 3rd St., Wausau. This event is free to the public.

When people arrive at the banquet, they pick a ticket from a basket that determines if they are low, middle or upper class. Depending on which ticket they select, they are assigned a certain amount of food and luxury – from eating rice at a communal bowl to full-service dining with table linens. Community speakers will discuss local hunger and poverty in the community, with diners invited to share what this event made them experience.

The purpose of the MLK Day Community Partnership Project is to mobilize college students, community members and community organizations to observe MLK Day not as a “day off” but a “day on.”

WIPPS interns Konnor Denzine, Jonathan Dzwonkowski, Mirella Espino, Cheng Khang and Tee Vang created a budget and proposal, conducted research and secured requirements for the grant. WIPPS research assistants Leo Moua and Alex Sowieja helped with coordination of the grant and event planning.

WIPPS plans to invite 20 nonprofit community organizations such as the Women’s Community, the Neighbor’s Place and the United Way to promote their services. Attendees will have a chance to speak to these organizations before entering the banquet.

To address program sustainability, two follow-up planning sessions will be held with community partners to ensure the Oxfam Hunger Banquet continues on an annual basis.

With the help of the Marathon County Hunger Coalition’s 57 community partners, WIPPS hopes to use the Oxfam Hunger Banquet to further support local families and the growing need to raise awareness about hunger in Marathon County.

For more information, contact Leo Moua at 715-261-6104 or email leo.moua@uwc.edu.