Green Party Candidate for State Treasurer eating like a food stamp recipient for one week

• Here is what Harvard resident and candidate Scott Summers writes in his blog:  http://summerstimes.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/its-hunger-action-month-and-im-taking-the-snap-challenge/

It’s Hunger Action Month — and I’m taking the SNAP Challenge

Published September 22, 2010 Uncategorized Closed
Tags: Feeding Illinois, SNAP Challenge

According to www.FeedingIllinois.com, “more than 1.6 million people in our state live on $4.50 a day.”  That’s the amount allotted under the SNAP Program (formerly known as food stamps).

To me, that’s a highly sobering statistic.  It’s a daily struggle for far too many Illinois residents to get by on basic nutrition.   And I wonder:   how many of us — children included — actually go to bed hungry?

It shouldn’t be so.  It mustn’t be so.

From September 19th through the 25th, I’m taking FeedingIllinois’ SNAP Challenge.   As a gesture of empathy, I, too, am attempting to eat on a daily budget of $4.50.

I sit at my computer this morning beginning the fourth day of the challenge with a bowl of oatmeal.  I’ve taken the “luxury” of adding to it a bit of diced apple.  And I confess to “decadence”:  for the first time since Saturday, I’m having a cup of coffee.

Without going into meal-by-meal details — breakfasts are oatmeal.  Midday, I eat a combination of boiled wheat berries and beans, laced with my wife’s bumper crop of tomatoes.  Suppers are a bit more creative:  tonight, we’ll probably have bean enchiladas.  Add occasional apples and carrots, and that’s my diet.

As you might surmise, it’s probably easier for me to budget this than most:  I don’t eat animal protein.  I have been a vegetarian for thirty years, and a vegan for five.

As of this morning, I’m under budget — although I don’t think that’s necessarily laudable.   I’ll give you a final report on Monday, once the one week challenge period is up.

Join me in the SNAP Challenge — for the next few days, or for one day, or for one meal.  Find out more at www.FeedingIllinois.com.

From September 19th through the 25th, I’m taking FeedingIllinois’ SNAP Challenge.   As a gesture of empathy, I, too, am attempting to eat on a daily budget of $4.50.

http://summerstimes.wordpress.com/