The reality of hunger on screen in “A Place at the Table”

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The multiple-award winning documentary film, “A Place at the Table,” will be shown on Saturday, May 4, at 4 pm, at the M.V. Film Center. It will be followed by a discussion with people working to address food insecurity and issues of poverty here on Martha’s Vineyard.

“A Place at the Table” shows us how hunger poses serious economic, social, and cultural implications for our nation, and that it could be solved once and for all, if the American public decides — as they have in the past — that making healthy food available and affordable is in the best interest of us all.

According to the press release, the Child Well-Being in Rich Countries Survey, done by UNICEF and just published, ranks the U.S. 24th overall out of the 29 countries surveyed. The bottom four places are occupied by three of the four poorest countries in the survey, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and one of the richest, the United States.

Our Island is not immune to the problems of food insecurity, but there are people who are working to address them. Joining the event on May 4 will be: representatives from the Health Care Alliance; members of Mass in Motion, which helps families learn to eat healthily; and members of the Vineyard Committee on Hunger, including Armen Hanjian from the Island Food Pantry, Betty Burton from Serving Hands Food Distribution, Leslie Clapp from the Center for Living (Senior Centers), and Jacque Cage from Elder Services (Meals on Wheels).

“A Place at the Table,” Saturday, May 4, 4 pm, M.V. Film Center, Vineyard Haven. For more information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.