Food insecurity affects 17 percent of Kentuckians. The University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Campus Compact will host The Kentucky Hunger Dialogue to raise awareness about this issue and to develop action plans for a healthier Kentucky.

The dialogue will be Nov. 12 at UK and will provide college students, anti-hunger advocates, community leaders and food justice advocates the opportunity to share ideas and create a vision to improve food security throughout the state.

“While 700,000 Kentuckians experience hunger, one in three adults is obese. Nearly 58 percent of hungry households have a member with high blood pressure and 33 percent have a member with diabetes,” said Amanda Hege, event organizer and director of community outreach in the UK Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “This paradoxical situation occurs due to limited access to affordable, diverse and healthful food.”

During the event, participants will hear from several speakers including UK President Eli Capilouto and Tamara Sandberg, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Foodbanks. Colmon Elridge, executive assistant and senior adviser to former Gov. Steve Beshear, will be the keynote speaker. Elridge will share his personal story of growing up in homelessness and poverty and the power of education and opportunity.

Registration is open for the conference and interested individuals can purchase tickets on the event’s website at http://www.kyhungerdialogue.com. Tickets are $15 for students and $30 for the public if purchased by Oct. 21. After that date, tickets will be $20 for students and $35 for the public.

The Kentucky Hunger Dialogue is a part of UK’s efforts in the Universities Fighting World Hunger and Presidents United to Stop Hunger initiatives.