Sixty percent of the people attending a banquet Wednesday night will be sitting on the floor.

The Hunger Banquet, sponsored by SPARC, is designed to “illustrate the issues of world hunger and global poverty, specifically the problems related to world-wide food distribution and education,” according to Stella Mulberry, assistant director of leadership and community involvement and SPARC advisor.

“Our hope is that participants will not only gain an increased awareness of the issues of hunger and poverty on a global scale, but also on a more local scale,” Mulberry said. “Hunger and poverty are real problems in the city of Dallas and across the United States.”

Mulberry says they hope participants will come away with a motivation to contribute to the cause, such as through volunteering with a local nonprofit agency or holding a summer internship with a relief organization.

Fifteen percent of participants will be served a three-course meal and be seated at a table. Twenty-five percent will be served rice and beans and have only chairs. Sixty percent will be served rice and water while sitting on the floor.

Meals will be served to students according to cards that correlate with the percentage of the world’s population in each income bracket, Mulberry said.

“The Hunger Banquet model is based on ‘the luck of the draw,'” Mulberry said. As people come into the room, they will choose a card that indicates their income status, and they will be seated accordingly.”

In addition to the meal, Bob and Mary Ann Sweeney from the Dallas Life Foundation will be speaking, according to SPARC Basic Needs Coordinator Britt Vogel.