Sharon Eubank, director of Latter-day Saint Charities and Barron Segar, CEO & president of World Food Program USA, spoke to BYU students on Sept. 12 about efforts to end world hunger.
The event title, US Against Hunger: Collaborating to Care for Those in Need, was an opportunity for BYU students to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' combined efforts with the world food program across the globe. The event was hosted by the Ballard Center for Social Impact in the WSC Varsity Theater.
Eubank and Segar sat on the stage, answering questions regarding the issue of world hunger. Members of the audience had the opportunity to submit questions for the Q&A.
Eubank and Segar opened by expounding on the issue of global hunger and sharing their hopes for the future.
“We have to be concerned about hunger in our backyard, as well as around the world,” Segar said. “I do believe we are going to see a world without hunger, but some things need to change around the world to make sure we have access and training.”
Eubank emphasized the role that faith and covenants play in addressing worldwide food insecurity issues as members of the Church. She said eradicating worldwide hunger is a global priority of the Church.
“It’s not easy, but the potential is there to do that,” Eubank said.
Segar shared his gratitude towards the Church for being involved with the world food program and said “there is no other faith-based organization that does as much impact.”
Two videos from the Church were shown at the event, highlighting the work the Church and the world food program are achieving together.
The world food program announced their initiative of the Zero Hunger Generation at the event.
“This is the soft launch of the World Food Program USA’s collaboration with BYU. We are the first college that they’re collaborating with,” Dawson Helmbold, BYU senior and intern of the world food program, said. “Zero Hunger Generation is a huge deal because their main goal is to end acute hunger by 2030.”
Rebecca Middleton, chief advocacy and engagement officer of World Food Program USA spoke at the event, and expressed how she was led by God to enter this line of work, and the importance of fighting this issue on both the domestic and global scale.
“It’s not either local hunger or global hunger; it’s an and,” Middleton said.
The fight against world hunger is a unifying issue. Middleton shared members of Congress who don’t agree on anything, can come together and agree on this issue.
“We have so many similarities. Food is a human right. It’s a human right here in Provo, and a human right half-way around the world,” Segar shared.