Must-See Experience Reveals Faces, Stories of America’s Hidden Hungry

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven and its Jewish Community Relations Council are proud to announce the arrival of “This Is Hunger,” a national touring exhibit about food insecurity in America, at Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, from May 7 to May 10.  This first-of-its-kind free exhibit will bring our Greater New Haven community face to face with the stark realities of hunger through state-of-the-art storytelling techniques and interactive elements.  We will launch the arrival of this exhibit with a kick-off event at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 7, where Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and other community leaders will offer remarks.

Nearly half a million people in Connecticut struggle with hunger, including more than 140,000 children who are food insecure. In the City of New Haven, 25.4 percent of people are food insecure, according to the Connecticut Food Bank. At the national level, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual report on food security found that nearly 13 percent of American households had difficulty at some point last year in providing enough food for their families.

To raise awareness about the prevalence of hunger in Greater New Haven, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven partnered with MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger to bring “This Is Hunger” to our community. The exhibit features black and white portraits by an internationally renowned photojournalist and the stories of dozens of Americans who have had difficulty putting enough nutritious food on the table each day. Through digital and hands-on activities, “This Is Hunger” takes participants on a compelling journey that draws them into the real-life circumstances of these individuals and deepens their awareness about who in America struggles with hunger and why. Visitors are then encouraged to educate others and advocate for change.

“This Is Hunger” is housed in a 53-foot-long double expandable semitrailer that, when parked and opened on both sides, provides nearly 1,000 square feet of exhibit space. The exhibit is on a 10-month national tour that is stopping in more than 30 cities across the country.

For free ticket reservations and tour times, visit http://thisishunger.org/the-tour/.  

About This Is Hunger

“This Is Hunger” is a community engagement program commissioned by MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. The exhibit will tour the United States from Nov. 16, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2017. Key members of the creative team include Marni Gittleman, Creative Director/Principal Concept & Content Developer; Gail Greenberg, Principal Designer; Chris Green, Multimedia Show Developer/Production Designer; and Karen Snider, Project Manager/Developer.

About MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

Founded in 1985, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is a national nonprofit organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. For more information, please visit mazon.org.