NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ–A hunger awareness program hosted by New Brunswick-based Christ Church Food Pantry, is a creative take on the classic benefit meal.

The May 28th event, dubbed “Come Dine Below the Line,” marks World Hunger Day and intends to serve a fine meal with deluxe portions using only ingredients traditionally found in food pantries, and on a food pantry budget.

The event will be held at 5 Paterson Street at the Christ Church auditorium between 6 and 8 pm.

“It’ll be upscale and casually elegant, but on a pantry budget,” said Doug Wilson, Christ Church Food Pantry Director and event coordinator.

To help ensure that sense of elegance, Wilson states “We have a full kitchen and seating for up to 130 people. Chef Peter Blake of Rutgers dining services, other volunteers, and myself, will be creatively working with ingredients we have on hand.”

The Christ Church Food Pantry is a founding member of the Feeding New Brunswick Network and is partnered with the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services (MCFOODS) regional food bank and division of the Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA).

The Feeding New Brunswick Network is a coalition of emergency-food providers that currently serves anywhere in the New Brunswick city limits.

Many also see this event as an opportunity to give back to those who support local food banks.

“Much of what we do in this business is about asking for help,” says Jennifer Apostol, project manager at MCFOODS,

“So here’s a rare occasion, where we get to give back to our supporters and invite everyone from the public to come in and take something with them when they leave – a taste of home cooking and a little bit of knowledge.”

“This will be a great opportunity to combine good food with good company, something everyone – rich or poor – can appreciate,” said Middlesex County Freeholder Deputy Director Carol Bellante, liaison to the MCIA.

Credit for the event idea goes to Christ Church Pantry intern Andrea Treadwell, who proposed it as a means of generating attention for World Hunger Day.

More information on MCFOODS and other related programs, visit www.mciauth.com, or call 609-655-5141.