Can You Imagine What Hunger Feels Like?

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Can you eat on just $4.20 a day?From Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2014, members, staff and clergy of Congregation Shaare Emeth will take the SNAP Challenge and try to live on the average food budget of a Missouri SNAP recipient – just $29.25 per week or less than $1.40 per meal. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as Food Stamps). Why are we doing this? To raise awareness about the struggles faced by millions of food-insecure households, to experience first-hand how difficult it is to afford nutritious foods, and to renew our commitment to do what we can to put an end to hunger.

Please join us by attending one of our hunger events, following our blog as we document our experiences (subscribe by email in the box on the right, subscribe to the blog feed, or check back daily), joining as SNAP Challenge participant and blog author, or participating in an alternate way. Let's all learn a little more about what it's like to live solely on food stamps.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

There are good deeds being done every day…

Allen and I chose to participate once again in the SNAP program.  We kind of made a menu, shopped for the week buying soup, a chicken, bread, staples, salad and veggies. We already had the PB&J, and other food items that would become part of our week’s menu.  Sunday was easy for us, fortunately we were home for all of our meals.  A half of protein bar (bought 5 for $5) does not go a long way for breakfast, but lots of water to drink does!  And you can imagine where I spent a lot of time!  We shared the can of soup, a salad with one piece of chicken cut up for lunch and dinner.  You may ask, did we go to bed hungry?…Yes, I did.

Monday was more of a challenge.  I had a breakfast date with some friends.  Did you know there are not many places in Creve Coeur/Chesterfield where you can get something for breakfast for $1.49.  We ended up at a Bread CO and stood there for 5 minutes trying to figure out what I could eat.  Nothing, not even a cup of coffee, that I do not drink anyway.  We mentioned to the man who was going to take our order what my challenge was this week and why. He heard us say there was nothing I could get at Bread Co. therefore, I would just pass on eating breakfast.  He took their order, then asked me what I was thinking of getting?  I said maybe just an egg but did not see that on the menu in my price range.  The good soul that he was, said he would make me an egg for $1.00.  I said, really… and thanked him.  He agreed that you can’t eat out for this amount.  I got my egg and water and met my friends. As we were eating, he walked by me with a drink and bag of fruit loops for his breakfast.  Wonders and wonderful people who pay it forward never cease to amaze me.

Tuesday was another day…breakfast and lunch would be fine.  We were given hockey tickets and with the tickets comes a free hot dog and drink...  Yeah!

Between the cold and the fact that there are people without heat, a place to sleep or enough food to eat, I feel very fortunate that I can pass it forward to help others.

by: Ronnie Brockman

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