A demonstration intended to raise awareness of the inequality of food distribution around the world is proceeding as scheduled despite initial doubts it would take place.

The event, sponsored by the Student Union Board and the Student Activities Center, is planned to take place at 6 p.m.Wednesday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union, and will also include a canned food drive.

“Usually it’s held in the fall around Thanksgiving, but this year we decided to do it in the spring,” said Mindy Pearson, senior in meteorology and organizer of the event. “We realized it would almost be more effective if it wasn’t done near the holidays. Hunger is a yearround issue.”

She said the event was previously sponsored by Leadership Enrichment Action Program, a group that no longer exists, and because of this there was a chance the event would not be held.

“I’ve helped out with the ones in the past; there was a chance it might not happen this year, and I didn’t want to see that happen,” Pearson said.

She said she worked to get the Student Union Board, the organization with which LEAP merged, to sponsor the event. Hunger is a serious problem, Pearson said, and she wanted to get the board to do something “out of the box” to address it.

“[The purpose] is to give a dramatic representation of the unequal distribution of the world food supply,” said Annice Fisher, graduate assistant at the Memorial Union.

Pearson said the Great Hall will be split into three parts for the event — the First, Second and Third Worlds — to display the disparity in global economic conditions.

She said people will draw from a box to determine which “world” they will be a part of.

Pearson said 15 percent of participants will eat in the First World section, 30 percent will eat in Second World conditions and 55 percent will dine as they would in the Third World. Percentages are approximately the same as they are in the real world.

She said the First World group will eat a full course meal at a prepared table.

“They would have this first-class meal, it would be served by dining service wait staff,” Fisher said.

Those eating in Second World conditions will eat rice and beans at an uncovered table, she said.

“The people that end up drawing a card to be in Third World countries will be sitting on the floor eating a meager meal,” Pearson said.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the door, $5 for students and $7 for non-students, with all money going to the Oxfam America charity organization.

Oxfam America is an international development and relief agency based in Boston that is dedicated to ending global hunger and poverty.

Participants are also required to bring a non-perishable food item that will be donated to the Emergency Relief Project, an Ames food bank and homeless shelter.

“Any number of cans will be welcome,” said Troy Jansen, assistant director of the project. “We hope to use it not only for people staying at the shelter, but also for those on the verge of homelessness.”

About 150 people are expected to attend the event. Fisher said this is the fourth annual Hunger Banquet.

Speakers from both charities involved will also be present, Pearson said.

“This is a very important cause,” she said.