By: Isabel DeMarco ~Staff Writer~

The second annual Hunger Dialogues will make a stop at Xavier on November 11-12 to discuss hunger and those impacted by it as well as address the role that hunger plays in the greater community.

The dialogues aim to increase awareness through large discussions and are held in unison with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

According to the Xavier website, the Dialogues are designed to bring together Ohio universities, community partners, civic leaders and the public to address and seek solutions to the issues of hunger in local and global communities through teaching, research and service.

This year’s event is focusing on campus food insecurity, sustainability, local farming and hunger and homelessness in both urban and rural areas.

The event are an important opportunity for Xavier students to take part in learning about hunger and helping to come up with a solution for it. The hunger dialogues will include presentations given by Xavier students like SGA President, Caleb Mickler. Also involved in organizing the Hunger Dialogues are Ohio’s Community Action Agencies, Campus Compact, numerous colleges in the area and the office of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.

The event is partnered with the Freestore Foodbank and the Child Poverty Collaborative.

The actual event takes place over two days. On the first day, the dialogues feature optional site trips to local organizations followed by a film showing at night.

Saturday’s activities include interactive sessions and discussions. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with members of the community who are working to address food insecurity and students who are involved with the issues.

It is very important for students to discuss the hunger issue, especially considering the current statistic stating that one in six households in Ohio face issues finding adequate food. This leaves Ohio as the tenth worst of all 50 states.

Sean Rhiney, the Director of the Eigel Center for Community Engaged Learning, recommends that students take the opportunity to attend the Hunger Dialogues.

“They will be an immersive invaluable experience for anyone who has seen hunger in their community but never had the time to discern ways we might all tackle this challenge together,” Rhiney said. “The Dialogues by their nature are designed to engage you where you are. You don’t have to be an expert on hunger to be able to participate.”

Registration for the event will open to students Sept. 30.