The Food Stamp Challenge
Four members of Congress, Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Jo-Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), and Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill) are going to spend the next week living on $21.00. That is the amount the average person on Food Stamps gets per week. That’s three dollars a day. One dollar a meal.
Let that sink in.
One dollar per meal.
The Washington Post has an article about their efforts. McGovern is quoted saying:
"No organic foods, no fresh vegetables, we were looking for the cheapest of everything. We got spaghetti and hamburger meat that was high in fat -- the fattiest meat on the shelf. I have high cholesterol and always try to get the leanest, but it's expensive. It's almost impossible to make healthy choices on a food stamp diet."
No shit. It is no coincidence that the poorest Americans are the ones most likely to be obese, or suffer diet related health problems. We have all been following the Melamine story and trying to make choices that include local or organic food, but how about if you had $1.00 per meal? Impossible.
I urge you to read the article, and I applaud these four Representatives for bringing the issue to light in this fashion. I find it disappointing that only four took on the challenge, which was presented to the entire Congress to gain understanding and to get more money for the Food Stamp program written into the Farm Bill.
McGovern says it is important to get the debate going:
"We don't have to wake up worrying about the next meal. But there are a lot of Americans who do. I think it's wrong. I think it's immoral that in the U.S., the richest country in the world, people are hungry."Gee, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, I said it.
McGovern and Ryan are blogging about their experiences here and here.
If you have time, you might ask your representative why they aren’t taking the challenge. I plan to, and mine is running for POTUS.
**UPDATE - Make sure and check out the blogs - a couple of quotes -
Lisa McGovern :
As I began cooking, separating and freezing food for the week, I began to worry that we won't have enough food to get us through Tuesday. It seems there are two ways to think of this: if we want to eat healthy food, this is like a very strict diet or a semi-fast. There is strict rationing of protein and fruits and vegetables. If we want a more satisfying portion size, the only way to do it is lots of rice, pasta or beans (but we only have 2 cans of those). And that goes against what I think of as healthy on a plate (which would be 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs and 1/2 fruits and vegetables). But it's a long time until Tuesday and we have a limited amount of the "good" stuff so we're doling it out carefully.
Tim Ryan :
My biggest concern today is running out of food before the end of the week. One loaf of bread doesn’t make as many sandwiches as you’d think, and I’m running through my cottage cheese pretty fast as well. The budgeting was hard enough, rationing what I do have will present another challenge.
11 comments:
As someone who lives on the food stamp diet-
Healthy whole grain bread- 3.29 a loaf. Cheap, nutrient free crap 1.29 per loaf. I don't wonder why poor people are overweight, I wonder why we insist on keeping them malnourished and blaming them for it.
I wonder why we insist on keeping them malnourished and blaming them for it.
Yes indeed. Exactly.
Wouldn't it be nice if we decided that everybody under the poverty line should be eligible for food stamps in an amount that would actually buy enough healthy food.
I know, I'm dreaming big.
Thanks for the comment on my blog too.
You know, why shouldn't we be able to feed our poor? It is a shame that we can only dream about it.
Don't even get me started on health care.
Hear hear. I've tried to eat healthily (and by "healthily" I don't mean eating a fully balanced, nutritious diet, I just mean not putting utter crap in my body) on $30/week. It isn't easy. I was perpetually hungry--and consequently cranky, unproductive at work, sluggish in my workouts, and so on. $21/week must be a whole different level of frustration, hunger, worry, and quite possibly despair. Especially if you have growing kids.
It's not just a shame that we can only dream about feeding our poor, it's a bloody travesty.
It's not just a shame that we can only dream about feeding our poor, it's a bloody travesty.
History will not be kind to this era.
i.e. - The second gilded age.
This passage also struck me:
"I'm sure this must be a very, very difficult part of living within this budget for folks -- worrying that the people you love, especially when children are involved, have enough fuel to sustain their energy output. It can't help but effect how they feel, think and behave. I know it's only for a week and he'll be fine but my point is how difficult it is to say "sorry that's it" to someone you love, especially if it's a still-hungry child."
Of course, for others on this kind of budget, it isn't only for a week. It's every week.
Of course, for others on this kind of budget, it isn't only for a week. It's every week.
Yes, it is day after day after day.
I can't imagine having to look into my children's eyes and tell them there isn't anything to eat.
Something else that occured to me.
worrying that the people you love, especially when children are involved, have enough fuel to sustain their energy output.
Can you imagine going to school, taking test, etc... without enough to eat? Small wonder the poor tend to be outperformed by their wealthier counterparts in test scores. There are obviously many other factors, but surely this is one too.
Exactly:
"And again I can't help but think that without decent nutrition, it's hard to move past the hardships and obstacles. Children in schools and adults in jobs can't possibly operate at their full potential when they are hungry, making it harder to perform in order to get better opportunities --at school or work -- to break out."
The deck is stacked against them to be sure.
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