TSU Hosts World Food Week

TSU Hosts World Food WeekTennessee State University will join hands with organizations and institutions across the globe October 6th-13th and take a stand against hunger, malnutrition and poverty by commemorating World Food Week.   According to Dr. Sandria Godwin, TSU Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences and Chair of the World Food Week Committee, the activities during the week will serve as an opportunity for members of the Nashville community to have a timely and much-needed dialogue about poverty and world hunger. "We will open our doors, much like we have done each year, in an effort to encourage students, faculty, staff and concerned citizens in the Nashville community to join with us as we address issues of poverty and malnutrition, and heighten public awareness about world hunger."  Godwin has spearheaded the World Food Day commemoration at TSU since 1982.  TSU World Food Week activities begin on Wednesday, October 6th when students, faculty and staff will volunteer at two local food assistance facilities, Room In The Inn and Samaritan Ministries, by serving lunch from 10:30a.m. until 1:00p.m.  Volunteers will work at these locations Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Also, this year students will be given the opportunity to win $100.00 by submitting a 500 word essay on the World Food Day Theme:  United Against Hunger�The Power of One.  The deadline for submission of essays is October 6th. The climax of the week, sponsored by the TSU School of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, will take place on Wednesday, October 13th, the day the school has set aside to observe World Food Day.  World Food Day was established in November 1979 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.  Activities will begin at 9:15a.m. with presentations being made by Dr. OliveYao Li, TSU Research Assistant Professor of Agricultural Sciences as well as Sizwe Herring, a representative from Community Food Advocates. Dr. Olive Yoa Li will share her research on ultra rice and technological advances used to help solve the problem of world hunger and Herring will discuss his work with community gardening. Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (SACS), will present the SACS United Against Hunger Award to a community organization that has been working to obliterate poverty and hunger in Nashville or a surrounding community. Samples of food from various countries will be provided to show how, goats, eggs, pigeon peas, and grains from around the world can be used to prepare various dishes.  Also, awards will be presented to essay contest winners who will share their compositions throughout the day of activities which will conclude at 1:30p.m.  Participants are asked to bring socks and canned green beans to give to the Room In The Inn and Samaritan Ministries representatives who will be present to discuss the work provided by their organizations.  Also, TSU�s radio station, WTST The Blaze, will provide music during the lunch hour. For more information about the World Food Day TSU Student Essay Contest contact Dr. Fur-Chi Chen at (615) 963-5410 or fchen1@tnstate.edu.  Also, to volunteer for the World Food Week outreach opportunities, contact Richard Stone at (615) 963-1375 or rstone@mytsu.tnstate.edu , or visit http://agfacs.tnstate.edu/ .