The Weekly Food Research and Action Center News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.
1. Free Food Offer Draws 40,000
(Washington Post, November 24, 2008)
Joe and Chris Miller, farmers in Platteville, Colo., invited the public to pick up leftover vegetables for free from the fields after their recent harvest, and were “overwhelmed” when 40,000 showed up in one day. “People obviously need food,” said Chris, after watching 11,000 vehicles, backed up for two miles, show up for leftover potatoes, carrots and leeks. The couple had expected 5,000 to 10,000 people at their farm 37 miles north of Denver, and had to cancel a second day of “gleaning,” the “ancient practice of picking up leftover food in farm fields.” The Millers said they decided to open their fields after hearing reports of food stolen from churches.
2. Close to Quarter Million More Unemployed in October
(Economic Policy Institute, November 7, 2008)
Jobs: Payroll employment numbers dropped 240,000 in October, marking the tenth month in a row that numbers have declined. In addition, revised data show that 179,000 more jobs were lost than previously reported. In all, 1.2 million jobs were lost since December 2007, and 651,000 in the last three months alone.
Unemployed: Also in October, the unemployment rate rose 6.5 percent, the highest rise since March 1994; 3.3 million workers became unemployed over the past 18 months. Currently, there are 10.1 million unemployed workers in the U.S.
Underemployment: the percentage of those underemployed rose 11.8 percent, the highest in 14 years (underemployment is a “more comprehensive measure of the extent of labor market weakness”). These numbers represent people who want full-time jobs but are working part time; the growth has been 645,000 from September to October, and by an increase of 2.3 million in the past year.
Subgroups: Large discrepancies in unemployment exist, with unemployment for African-Americans “extremely high” at 11.1 percent; for Hispanics the number continues to rise and is at 8.8 percent. White unemployment rose 0.5 percent to 5.9 percent. College graduates make up 58 percent of the total rise in unemployment for people over 25. The figures show “a clear signal that distress in the financial sector is generating unemployment at the top of the education ladder.” Job growth has stifled in the current economy, keeping large numbers of the unemployed out of a job for longer periods; extended “spells” of unemployment increased to 22.3 percent in October, the highest since June 2004.
Wages: Weekly wage growth has also slowed, with wages for most workers rising only 2.9 percent over the past year, well behind inflation at 4.9 percent. The report points out that a second economic stimulus package of more than $300 billion “is imperative” to help pull jobs, unemployment, and wages from this downward spiral. Its features must provide the most “bang for the buck” and include a boost in food stamps, expansion of unemployment benefits, heating assistance, state aid, and infrastructure projects (schools, roads, bridges, transit, water treatment plants) that could begin immediately.
3. Poverty, Unemployment Figures for African-Americans Unchanged in Forty Years
(Economic Policy Institute, November 14, 2008)
African-Americans today face the same poverty and unemployment figures they did in 1968: one in four are unemployed; one in four live below the poverty line; and the child poverty rate is higher than in 1968. Also, the gap between early education for African-Americans and college attainment is growing. The figures were reported at a recent event titled “The Work that Remains: A Forty-Year Update of the Kerner Commission Report,” Panelist Dr. Alan Curtis of the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation commented on the numbers: “We’ve in many ways gone backward since the sixties,” he said, noting how child poverty, income inequality and school integration have all worsened since 1968.
4. Usual Government Figures Don’t Give the True Picture of Unemployment
(Slate, October 22, 2008)
Policymakers, journalists and other experts have noted that the current unemployment rate seems to be a “nonrecessionary” total (and below the 1982-1983 deep recession figure of 10 percent), but other measures, as this article points out, show that the job situation is “worse than it has been at any time since 1994.” When labor underutilization is factored in, much higher percentages are revealed; these figures count marginally attached workers, discouraged workers, and part-time workers, and reveal that 10 percent of Americans are unemployed or underemployed. In fact, the number of workers no longer job-hunting due to discouragement rose from 276,000 in September 2007 to 467,000 in September 2008 – a 70 percent increase. And the U6 – “a…summa of job angst, a shorthand tally for the aggregate of job-related frustration,” rose to 11 percent, the highest since 1994, even higher than the previous recession of 2001. As more and more people were self-employed, businesses outsourced more work, and contracting became more commonplace, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recognized that its traditional measures might not accurately reflect the current economic situation. It began compiling these alternative measures in the 1990s to reflect “a changing economy.”
5. County Food Stamp Workers Among Employees Laid Off
(Cincinnati Enquirer, November 12, 2008)
Budget cuts are forcing Ohio’s Hamilton County Job and Family Services to eliminate 350 jobs by the end of 2009; the agency employs 1,475 workers who handle food stamps, child support, and foster care, among other services. The first round of 25 layoffs, including new and long-time workers, took place in mid-November; the job cuts come at a time when demand for services is increasing, with food stamp use the highest it’s been in a decade. The agency says people will still receive services, although it may take longer than usual.
6. USDA Allows More Telephone Interviews for SNAP
(USDA, October 28, 2008)
State agencies had been allowed to waive face-to-face interviews for 50 percent of their SNAP caseload without documenting that it was due to client hardship. USDA had limited that practice because it did not have information about any potential impact on payment accuracy. Data showed that, since 2007 when the 50 percent waiver began, telephone interviews did not negatively affect accurate payment rates. Now, USDA is willing to approve a waiver of the regulations to allow a state’s entire caseload to be handled through telephone interviews at initial certification, which will help low-income clients dealing with the high cost of transportation and help ensure more applicants finish the application process.
(via USDA memo “Amendment of Face-to-Face Interview Waiver Criteria to All Regional Directors, SNAP Program)
7. Food Stamps, School Meals Provide “Daunting Challenges” for Next Ag Secretary
(Reuters, November 21, 2008)
Helping Americans put food on the table through an economic stimulus boost to food stamp benefits, as well as improving the nutritional quality of school meals through the upcoming Child Nutrition Act reauthorization, while protecting farmers from the current economic turmoil, are just some of the “daunting challenges” to be faced by the incoming USDA Secretary, to be named by President-elect Obama. Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat and chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, supports revisions in the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization that will improve the nutrition and freshness of school meals; he also supports a temporary increase in food stamp benefits. “With a downturn in the economy,” said Harkin, “USDA must meet the challenge of helping American families put food on the table and support their diets and nutrition.” FRAC President Jim Weill echoed Harkin’s statement, saying that child nutrition and food stamp programs should be expanded “to keep hunger from skyrocketing in this ugly recession.”
8. Missouri to Pump USDA Grant Money into Improving Food Stamp Program
(Branson Daily News, , 2008)
As food stamp demand is rising in the state, the Missouri Department of Social Services’ (DSS) Family Support Division recently received $6.4 million in bonus funds from USDA for best food stamp program access ($2,506,980), best application timeliness rate ($1,302,504), and best payment accuracy ($2,682,498). “The [food stamp] numbers are way up from last year,” said DSS spokesperson Brian Hauswirth, who also noted that, while specific details on how the money will be spent have not been finalized, the funds will go to making the program even more efficient.
9. New York City Food Stamp Numbers High; Fingerprinting Requirement Could Be Keeping More from Applying
(NY Daily News, November 16, 2008)
Over the past five years, food stamp use in New York City has spiked 23 percent; now 1.2 million people receive the benefit “There is more that needs to be done to lower the barriers to getting food assistance,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D), who urged Mayor Bloomberg to loosen restrictions and make more people eligible. The fingerprinting requirement could be keeping many from signing up, believes Weiner, and says that allowing online applications has been an effective streamlining feature. “Imagine what you could do if you reduced the options further,” he said. Joel Berg agrees with Weiner; the executive director of the New York Coalition Against Hunger notes that struggling families have to take time off from work “just to provide evidence that they are not criminals;” Berg estimates a half-million more New Yorkers are eligible for food stamps but don’t get them. The governor has allowed counties to dispense with fingerprinting, but Mayor Bloomberg has kept that feature, saying it prevents fraud. Even with the fingerprinting, officials forecast that more people will sign up for food stamps as job losses continue to climb.
10. Food Could Be Luxury for Many New Yorkers This Thanksgiving
(NY Daily News, November 20, 2008)
With food costs continuing to soar, the economy nose-diving, and unemployment numbers climbing, thousands of New York City families will find it difficult to put food on the table this Thanksgiving, says Albor Ruiz of the NY Daily News. More families – an “alarming increase” in number – are applying for food stamps, reported Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) citing data released by the city’s Department of Social Services. The number of New Yorkers enrolled in the Food Stamp Program jumped by 228,000 – 23 percent – since 2004. In 2008, 129,539 signed up, yet 500,000 are still eligible but not receiving the benefit. Rep. Weiner believes the fingerprinting requirement may be keeping many from applying. Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside) wants Costco to begin accepting food stamps, which would help thousands, especially those in Queens within walking distance of the store in Long Island City. Gioia and residents protested outside the store last Sunday, demanding it begin accepting the benefit.
11. Advocates Question Costco’s Reasons for Not Accepting Food Stamps
(Consumerist.com, November 19, 2008)
The “big box” membership grocery store Costco gave three reasons for not accepting food stamps: 1) they don’t think they meet federal government qualifications; 2) it’s too expensive to adapt their checkout machines to the food stamp EBT cards; 3) people on food stamps would not want to pay the annual fee and purchase in bulk with their limited funds. Joel Berg of the New York Coalition Against Hunger said while many could not afford the $50 membership fee, there are also many on food stamps who would shop there to save money over time. New York Councilman Eric Gioia, who contacted Costco executives, said “Not only does [the membership fee] amount to 14 cents a day…you’ll find that people who are on a fixed income and trying to feed their children become amazingly sophisticated at making smart economic choices.” Also, Joel Berg cited a USDA survey which showed food stamp recipients spend an average of $6 in travel to shop, which means they “are savvy enough to pay for car services and taxis to travel longer distances at discount stores that do accept food stamps.” Also, stores that do $100 or more a month in food stamp related sales can get their EBT fees for food stamps waived. “If the corner bodega could qualify to accept food stamps, why would Costco …with $71 billion in annual revenue, not qualify?” this New York Times blog post asks.
12. FRAC Finds Massachusetts First in Nation for Increased Food Stamp Participation
(The Enterprise, November 17, 2008; Herald News, November 18, 2008; Somerville Journal, November 18, 2008)
FRAC’s recent monthly report on state food stamp participation showed Massachusetts increased its food stamp participation more than any other state, with numbers increasing 71 percent over the past five years. While this means that more people who need help putting food on the table are getting it (currently more than 537,000 Mass. residents), it also points to the increased need caused by the worsening economy. And while changes to the program, as well as outreach efforts, have made it easier for more people to apply, still approximately two out of every five families in the state are eligible for food stamps but do not receive “this simple yet often life-altering program” that can help families struggling with rising food, fuel and housing prices. The 2008 Farm Bill not only made it possible for more struggling veterans and families with a member serving in a war overseas to receive food stamps, it also made it possible for families to deduct child care expenses from their income. In the past, these expenses weren’t permitted to be deducted, which made a good number of families ineligible. The Farm Bill also changed the program name from food stamps to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which has helped remove some of the stigma attached to the program. “There is no shame in getting the help we all pay taxes for,” notes an editorial in the Herald-News. “The shame is in someone, especially a child, going hungry who doesn’t have to.” Massachusetts residents who are not sure if they are eligible can visit the USDA Web site – http://www.usda.gov – and click on the SNAP program to find eligibility info; in addition, they can call the state’s SNAP hotline at (866) 950-3663.
Monthly food stamp data: http://www.frac.org/html/federal_food_programs/programs/fspparticipation.html
13. Houston Losing $164 Million in Unclaimed Food Stamp Benefits
(Houston Chronicle, November 16, 2008; KTRH, November 18, 2008)
FRAC’s 2008 “Food Stamp Access in Urban America” found slightly over half (51 percent) of eligible Houston, Texas residents receive food stamps. In San Antonio, the only other city in Texas included in the report, 72 percent of eligible resident receive the benefit, which contributes millions in economic stimulus to the region. In 2001, San Antonio’s participation was only 33 percent. Eric Cooper, executive director of the San Antonio Food Bank, said increased effort by the organization’s 18 outreach workers contributed to the increase; the outreach workers help enroll families in the Food Stamp Program. In addition, the food bank’s annual outreach budget is $945,000; the city of San Antonio contributed $150,000 to the total, which includes funds from the state and a number of local foundations. However, the application process in Texas could be keeping people from applying. Kathy Barton, who is with the San Antonio Health and Human Services Department (which helps people apply for the benefit) said “We’d like to see the state be more aggressive and see them reduce barriers to enrollment,” through extended office hours and online and telephone enrollment. Other obstacles include language barriers inherent in the state’s large immigrant population, which includes people who don’t know the benefit exists, as well as the Texas application itself, which requires 12 pages of information from applicants, including employment verification, detailed financial information, identification of life insurance policies – even burial plot information. Houston Food Bank President Brian Greene noted “The application process can be pretty difficult to get through – particularly if you don’t have high literacy skills. Getting to the government office [to apply] – they’ve actually reduced the number of government offices. About half of the people we serve, these are working households. In order to take the time for multiple visits…might not be feasible.” Stephanie Goodman, with the Health and Human Services Commission, said the state is working on simplifying the application. Not only do people miss out on valuable benefits if they’re eligible but not signed up for the program, but the area economies can’t take advantage of the economic stimulus the program provides. The money “goes through grocery stores and back to our agricultural producers,” said State Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston).
14. Food Stamp Applications Up in Central New York
(WSYR, November 19, 2008)
New York’s Onondaga County experienced a “huge spike” in food stamp applications, partly due to a new streamlined application, but also due to the current economy, with demand for social services increasing across the County. A recent Friday at the Social Services Department saw 137 new applications in a single day – a record number. In October 2007, an average of 44 people applied per day; in October 2008, there were 54 applications per day.
15. Long Lines, Low Food Stamp Benefits Hamper Country Says Blogger
(women.barackobama.com, November 15, 2008)
Out of work for 18 months due to “psychological problems,” this post by Ron Carbonneau on the Obama/Biden Web site blog tells of long lines at food pantries – including more and more families – as well as low food stamp payments. “I think I paid a lot more in taxes, than what I’m now receiving food stamp wise,” writes Carbonneau, who says he’s much better off than many Americans since he has a roof over his head and the food stamp benefit. But the growing lines for food make him ask, “What have we become as a nation?”
16. Don’t Forget SNAP, Writes Social Worker
(Hartford Courant, November 15, 2008)
A recent article on food pantries did not mention the SNAP/Food Stamp program, writes social worker John Crawford in this letter to the editor. SNAP (the acronym for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the new name for the Food Stamp Program and “reflects a focus on nutrition and putting healthy food within reach of low-income households,” says Crawford. He hopes staff will provide information on SNAP for everyone visiting the food pantries, and notes the USDA/FNS Web site where more information can be found: http://www.fns.usda.gov.
17. Food Stamps, WIC Can Help Families Living Paycheck to Paycheck
(WAPT, November 19, 2008)
The Jackson, Miss. Wal-Mart is seeing more and more families living paycheck to paycheck, as spending patterns at the store reveal sales spikes in baby formula at the first and middle of the month, when people wait for their paychecks to make the purchase. The store also found that most customers are worried about having enough food. People are taking advantage of food stamps to get by, and the state Department of Human Services saw an increase in food stamp recipients, from 175,417 in 2007 to 184,779 in 2008. The number of participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program has also climbed over the same period, from 107,655 families to 113,086.
18. Partnership Moves Food Stamps Closer to Applicants
(WCTV, November 17, 2008)
Some Hamilton County, Fla. residents were required to drive up to 30 miles to fill out food stamp paperwork until a partnership between the Bethel A-M-E Church and the state’s Department of Children and Families brought the application process closer. People have been “flocking” to the church to apply for food stamps now. Pastor Jeffrey Dove said that the driving distance was “truly…a burden on the citizens here…” and hopes that reducing the distance will bring more people to apply. “It’s so important because times are so tough and people are really having a tough time making ends meet…I think it just brings relief to the people of Jasper,” he said.
19. Grant Will Help More Apply for Food Stamps in Massachusetts
(iBerkshires.com, November 15, 2008)
Project Bread, the state’s leading anti-hunger organization, awarded $9,500 to the Berkshire Food Project to help fund food stamp outreach and application assistance. In collaboration with the state Department of Transitional Assistance, the grant now allows Berkshire staff to help applicants use the state’s new Virtual Gateway online food stamp application system. The elderly in the area will be a particular focus, as many “never knew they were eligible for food stamp benefits,” said Valerie Schwarz, project manager at Berkshire. The “outreach and assistance funding we receive helps us to provide online food stamp applications to those who cannot easily access their local Department of Transitional Assistance office,” she noted.
20. March Promotes Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
(Arizona Republic, November 18, 2008)
The capitol of Arizona saw its first march demonstrating the needs of state residents as part of the national observance of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. More than 100 participants walked from Phoenix City Hall to the state Capitol “to bring the issue…in the public discussion,” and make the voices of community members heard by legislators. Anti-hunger advocates say the problem of hunger is growing in the state. "The poverty we're faced with … is at the base of homelessness and hunger [and] far deeper than most people think," said Ginny Hildebrand, executive director of the Association of Arizona Food Banks.
21. Report Shows School Meal, Food Stamp Numbers Spike in Maine
(Village Soup, November 16, 2008)
A report by a Unity College class shows that the percentage of Unity Elementary School students eligible for free- and reduced-price meals jumped from 66 to 77 percent. The report, part of a survey on hunger, was conducted by college students who “fanned throughout Waldo County with an eye on creating a realistic picture of hunger;” they gained in-depth understanding of the issue as well as the anti-hunger systems in place. The students also looked at food stamps, and found “a trend of quite a few families in need of food stamp assistance” as people find themselves having to choose between buying fuel for the car or groceries, with many parents going hungry in order to feed their children. Food stamp numbers spiked five percent in the past year, and the elderly are relying on food pantries and community meals they can walk to (there being no federally-funded community meals in Unity, and few of the town’s elderly are served by Meals on Wheels.) The local school district participates in all federal school meal and snack programs; however, there lacks an overall safety net for the area to make sure “no one goes hungry.” While the state has made it possible for people to sign up at one time for all the public assistance they are eligible for, there remain problems with transportation, access to services by people with disabilities, some stigma felt by some elderly, and many people still lack of knowledge of what services exist.
22. In-Classroom Breakfast Gets More Kids Eating
(The New York Times, November 17, 2008)
More children in New York City are eating breakfast now that the city has begun in-classroom breakfast in all of its schools, which is slated to expand from 48 pilot sites to 299 schools in the next two months. Previously, children were missing out on breakfast, served early in cafeterias, because they were too late or did not want to miss playing and socializing with their friends. Eating breakfast in the classroom gives them a chance to talk to their friends while providing the necessary nutrients to focus on schoolwork during the day. “It makes me more relaxed while I do work in class,” said student Adam Khay, and another student commented “It makes me full and happy.” Studies show that students who eat breakfast perform better on exams, and schools in Newark, Maryland, and upstate New York have reported improved attendance due to in-classroom breakfast. Handed to students in paper bags as they make their way to class, the meal provides what nutritionists term “the most important meal of the day.” All children in the city have been offered free breakfast since 2003, but participation rates have been low – only about one in five children take advantage of the meal, and only 21 percent of children receiving free-and reduced-price meals eat breakfast at school. Showing up early to the cafeteria carries with it, some educators believe, a stigma that is hard to shake. The in-classroom breakfast at P.S. 70 starts at 7:45 a.m., providing students with whole-grain bread, fruit and cereal; many students prefer eating in the classroom, away from the chaos and noise of the cafeteria. Some teachers at pilot sites complained at first that the meal would interfere with class time, but now “embrace it,” and parents like the fact that it removes part of the stress of the usual morning rush. The in-classroom breakfast movement could spread to other states, believes Joel Berg of the New York Coalition Against Hunger, and said that advocates are asking Congress to finance similar programs. “Any program that feeds hungry children, improves education, reduces tardiness and absenteeism is clearly an overwhelming public good,” said Berg.
23. Food Stamp Challenges Nationwide, Some are Part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
Bloomington, Indiana: Community leaders, including Mayor Mark Kruzan, took the Food Stamp Challenge where they lived on $21 in food for the week, beginning November 16 and going through November 22. The dollar amount represents the average weekly food stamp allotment for one person. Participants updated their progress on the Herald Times Web site during the Challenge. (Herald-Times, November 15, 2008) In a progress update, Mayor Kruzan wrote “The biggest concern that came to my mind as I prepared for my week was imagining a parent trying to plan a nutritious meal for children.” The week was capped with a Hunger and Homelessness Panel, which provided Challenge participants to talk about their experience. Other Bloomington leaders who took the Challenge included Judge Valeri Haughton and Board of Public Works President Charlotte Zietlow. (IDS News, November 20, 2008)
Toledo, Ohio: Media professionals, including journalists from the Toledo Blade, will live on $23 dollars for one week, ending November 23, part of the city’s Food Stamp Challenge organized by the Lucas County Hunger Task Force and Toledo Area Ministries. The Challenge will draw attention to the 1.1 million Ohio residents, 72,932 in Lucas County, who receive food stamps. Governor Ted Strickland and other elected officials were invited to join. “We want [the Governor] to understand what nearly 1.2 million Ohioans go through every day,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks. “They struggle daily with trying to stretch these food stamps.” Rev. Steve Anthony of Toledo Area Ministries noted that it’s challenging for families on a food stamp budget to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. (Toledo Blade, November 17, 2008)
South Dakota: Community Food Banks of South Dakota, Black Hills Regional Food Bank and Bread for the World are sponsoring a Food Stamp Challenge, inviting residents to live for a week on $25 in groceries to raise awareness of hunger and the everyday struggle of people on food stamps as they also contend with housing, medicine, and other needs. (KXNet.com, November 16, 2008)
Texas: Smith County residents taking the Food Stamp Challenge include the director of the East Texas Food Bank, Robert Bush, and his family. Mrs. Bush noted, during the Challenge, that “[t]here was a definite psychological shift as I was trying to see the family adequately fed and feeling the frustration of not being able to make things meet…It’s hard to focus on anything else. And that was just for a week. Imagine what someone feels who can see no end in sight.” Mrs. Bush said she experienced food insecurity as a child, but had a new perspective as a parent on the Challenge, and could see how difficult it would be on children. She also said the food bank can help people apply for food stamps. She concluded “This made me think, ‘Whatever you do to the least of these, you did it to me.’ If you can’t help feed the poor – if you’re not ready to fight the daily battle – what are the big ideas in life really all about?” (Tyler Morning Telegraph, November 15, 2008)
Vermont: The Food Stamp Challenge kicked off the University of Vermont’s events for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 16 – 22. Additional events included the Empty Bowls Dinner, a Hunger Banquet, annual Box City Homelessness Sleep-Out, Fill the Fireplace Food Drive, and the Food Stamp Challenge Wrap Up. “It’s amazing to see how students with little initial awareness of these issues have risen to the task of educating themselves and now the wider community,” said Lluvia Mulvaney-Stanak, assistant director of community service programs at the University. (University of Vermont, November 14, 2008)
Michigan: Following the week long Food Stamp Challenge, state leaders and residents convened the 2008 Poverty Summit at Detroit’s Cobo Hall. The state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) organized the Challenge, in which participants had to live for five days on $29.35 ($5.87 a day) in food, the maximum the government gives per person in food stamps. The poverty summit featured Ismael Ahmed of DHS, who commented “We want to engage people on the ground, block clubs and community organizations, advocacy organizations to build the political will to fight poverty and also to help launch the programs that it takes to do that.” The Challenge was one way for the DHS to help people grasp the seriousness of hunger, especially when their situation is different from that of residents on food stamps. (WLNS, November 14, 2008)
Sodexho Careers: The Brandbuilder Blog featured information on Sodexho Careers and their project to get their employees to take the Food Stamp Challenge, where people live on slightly more than $1 a meal a day for one week. “After paying for housing, energy and health care expenses, many low-income households have little or no money remaining to spend on food” states the blog post repeated here from Sodexho Careers. Brandbuilder suggests starting the Challenge the week after Thanksgiving, and trying to live on $24 in groceries per person for that week. The post included a link to FRAC’s Food Stamp Challenge Toolkit. (The Brand Builder, November 20, 2008)
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