Face Hunger

Summary: An OFB employee must facilitate this activity. Through this role-playing simulation, students learn what it is like to be hungry.

Time: Three to four hours

Age: Middle school to adult

Materials: None

Preparation: None

Group size: 10 to 30

Procedure:

Face Hunger™ is a role-play and discussion workshop that increases awareness about hunger and its many causes. The workshop is highly interactive. Each participant receives a profile with information about the identity, income and resources available to a person at risk of hunger. The profiles vary and may include a single parent dependent on the government for financial support, a victim of job loss, a victim of a natural disaster or a retired person living on a fixed income.

During the workshop, participants "become" people suffering from hunger and face the challenges of providing meals for their families. Workshop leaders will challenge participants to budget and make good use of limited resources. Participants deal with government agencies, private charities, community businesses and services. In addition, they confront issues such as racism, crime and illiteracy. Face Hunger™ enables participants to walk in the shoes of a low-income individual.

Workshop leaders end each role-playing session with a discussion that allows participants to talk about their experience and the problems they faced during the activity. Participants will discuss short and long-term strategies to help alleviate poverty and hunger.