Blue Ridge Community College is partnering with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network to host a four day event addressing the issues of hunger.

On Thursday, a panel discussion with hunger relief advocates spoke about local, national and world hunger topics on ways to tackle the root of the problem.

The panel highlighted the outstanding services provided by the food bank along with other hunger relief agencies throughout the Shenandoah Valley.

The secretary of World Hunger Year, Jen Chapin, says, "Americans under the poverty line, which is a ridiculously low measure of people who are having trouble meeting basic needs, has gone up to about 38 million. That's a rise of five or six million in the past six or seven years."

Chapin performed with her band Thursday night at 8 in the Fine Arts Center Theater at BRCC.