As I was sipping my Diet Coke w/lime and listening to NPR today, they talked about the "food stamp challenge." Many senators are participating this week in this challenge in an effort to up the food stamp subsidy (tied to the Farm Bill) and trying to live on the average amount that food stamp recipients receive or $21.00/week - if you do the math that is $1.00/meal. This does not include WIC-which also subsidizes food for families w/kids. I thought about this as I was reading the choices these people were making - lots of peanut butter and tuna fish and I thought about taking the challenge myself.
My weekly budget (when I'm Southbeaching) is about $50.00/week, this includes a lot of veggies (which are not cheap) and some pre-packaged foods. So, to go to $21/week would limit those choices. Again, I do not think this would include WIC - which as I remember there was always leftover eggs, cheese and milk.
The worst part was when they were talking with a food stamp recipient about the jar of spaghetti sauce that gets broken - that was supposed to cover several meals and now the person can't feed anyone in her family - there is no more money to buy another jar.
I am all for raising awareness of what the government likes to call "Food insecurity" - I guess it's easier to hear than POOR, or POVERTY, or STARVATION...and I think that if we all tried this together, for just 7 days...we could go far in raising our awareness of what it feels like to be truly insecure and incredibly creative. Thankfully, after a week, I can buy diet Cokes again but for several million Americans, this is a weekly challenge.
I may try this and post what I've purchased and eaten - another reason why I love Mosaic!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
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About Me
- Red Letter girl
- I work at a Christian School district only 4 miles from my home. The people there are full of grace and love and I am glad to be a part of this ministry. I have a neice and nephew whom I love dearly. They are 12 and almost 15 respectively. I have two amazing sisters and two amazing brothers-in-law. Of course, I would not be here if it were not for my mother agreeing to marry my dad. Good going mom! My parents are my life and I would literally be NOTHING without their unconditional love, support and care. You rock mom and dad. Then there's Will & Lora...their giggles are like sunshine and their parents crack me up too.
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2 comments:
So what would happen if those taking the challenge took it a bit further and took what they saved that week $ from their normal spending and actually used it to help others? Now that would be government news!
If I want you to come over on Sunday and give you DC's does it still count?
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