Cory Booker's food stamp challenge

[bluewaveschool]

For those of you that missed it, Cory Booker is the mayor of Newark, NJ. He's constantly on twitter, using it to good effect in the Sandy aftermath. He post a quote from the greek historian Plutarch - An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics. This promoted some discussion and ended up with him taking on the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge. http://frac.org/initiatives/snapfood-stamp-challenges/ He had $30 to feed himself for 7 days. He kept track of what he bought, couldn't buy, and ate (burnt sweet potato because he didn't have anything left). Very interesting reading. http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/1...y-booker-humbled-after-a-week-on-food-stamps/ And a link to the first entry of the blog (read them all) he kept all week long. http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/...vement-toward-food-justice?trk=mp-reader-card

 

[Big Don]

Having money for food is one of the main reasons most of us work...

 

[bluewaveschool]

Who gets food stamps?
The most recent Department of Agriculture report on the general characteristics of the SNAP program's beneficiaries says that in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2010:
••47% of beneficiaries were children under age 18.
••8% were age 60 or older.
••41% lived in a household with earnings from a job -- the so-called "working poor."
••The average household received a monthly benefit of $287.
••36% were white (non-Hispanic), 22% were African American (non-Hispanic) and 10% were Hispanic. [USA Today, 1/18/12, emphasis original]


And, for those that might want to read it straight from the source -
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/snap/FILES/Participation/2010CharacteristicsSummary.pdf

 

[dancingalone]

My church has a food pantry where they give out food (mostly basics but also convenience foods too as the parishioners bring it in) as a gap measure to needy folks who don't qualify for government assistance but still need help.

I volunteer from time to time with stocking the shelves. The instant food always disappears first even though nutritionally it is far inferior to food that must be prepared and cooked. I definitely understand it can be difficult to live on $30 for 7 days. It's more doable if you are willing to cook cheap, but nutritious, foods like beans, eggs, and whatever is in season at the moment.

 

[WC_lun]

If you are working and still poor, the instant time foods are a great convenience as they are to the rest of us, though not nearly as nutritious.

 

[granfire]

well, as far as convenience goes, yes, that is a plus.
But I think they are also a good bit of comfort food.
(not to mention a lot of people grew up with them by know, like Mother used to nuke...)