To raise awareness about current U.S. Farm Bill negotiations and the related Congressional debates over billions of dollars in proposed cuts to SNAP/food stamp funding, Just Harvest staff along with four Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporters participated in a Food Stamp Challenge in June. This coincided with Food Stamp Challenges going on nationwide.
For the 1.8 million Pennsylvanians on food stamps, a meal budget of $4/day is the hard reality. Low-income households living on food stamps – typically seniors or working families with children – all find themselves forced to make food shopping choices on a limited budget. All learn how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy without adequate resources.
The average monthly federal Supplemental Nutrition Access Program (SNAP) or food stamp benefit in Pennsylvania is $128.43. Starting June 10, staff from Just Harvest and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette participated in a Food Stamp Challenge and lived on a standard weekly food stamp budget for the work week.
How would you deal with having so little money for food each day? What would you eat? How would you feel? Seven staff shared their experience of living on a food allowance of $6 a day for five days. In this brief window they had many insights into life on a food stamp budget.
Just Harvest staff had the additional challenge of living on a constrained food budget within a food desert – the participating staff’s neighborhoods do not have ready access to grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables.
| Follow Along | The Highlights: |
Read about the day-to-day of taking the SNAP Challenge:Just Harvest:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: |
Ken M. investigates waste, fraud, and abuse in the SNAP programDylan calculates how much weight he’d lose if he stayed on a food stamp budgetKen M. and Dylan detail the difficulties related to living on a food stamp budget within a food desert |
The Rules
- Each person should spend a set amount for food and beverages during the Challenge week. That amount is $30 for all food and beverage for five days.
- All food purchased and eaten during the Challenge week, including fast food and dining out, must be included in the total spending.
- During the Challenge, only eat food that you purchase for the project. Do not eat food that you already own (this does not include spices and condiments).
- Avoid accepting free food from friends, family, or at work, including at receptions, briefings, or other events where food is served.
Why Now?
Negotiations over the U.S. Farm Bill are currently underway and some members of Congress are proposing billions of dollars in cuts to SNAP funding.
This local Food Stamp Challenge coincides with one being hosted by the Out of Poverty Caucus from June 12 to 19, 2013, in which 26 members of Congress as well Congressional staffers and many national, state, and local organizations will take part.
Read More
- Learn more about why we need to Stop cuts to food stamps in the Farm Bill!
- Learn more about food deserts in Allegheny County and what Just Harvest and its allies are doing about them.
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