Could you survive on just $4 per day without going hungry? Experience what life can be like for millions of low-income Americans who receive SNAP benefits.
Take FRAC’s SNAP Challenge!
Most participants take the Challenge for one week and discover they have to make difficult food shopping choices, and often realize how difficult it is to afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy. While living on a SNAP budget for just a week cannot come close to the challenges encountered by low-income families week after week and month after month, it does provide those who take the Challenge with a new perspective and greater understanding.
For the past 10 years, FRAC has supported and fostered SNAP Challenges to help educate the public and opinion leaders about the important role SNAP plays in mitigating hunger and poverty — and the need to strengthen the program so beneficiaries can afford enough food for their health and well-being.
The Challenge first captured public attention in 2006 when FRAC allies in Philadelphia hosted one, followed by groups in Wichita, Kansas.
The Challenge took the national stage in 2007 when four Members of Congress — Representatives James McGovern (D-Mass.), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) — pledged to live for one week on an average SNAP budget and blogged about their experiences.
Since then, hundreds — if not thousands — of people have taken the Challenge, including Members of Congress, governors, state legislators, mayors, celebrities, religious and community leaders, reporters, and average citizens.
Now you can too…
SNAP Challenge Toolkit
Includes Challenge guidelines, registration hints, host event ideas, media planning information, and more.
Recent Publications & Data
See More Resources- Fact Sheet
The Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act of 2019, introduced by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA), would strengthen and expand the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The bill proposes many positive changes that would yield myriad benefits to the children and families that depend on CACFP for the healthy meals and snacks that the program provides. Includes information on the What is the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and specific information on what the bill proposes.
Download the fact sheet - Chart
State agencies, sponsors, advocates and other key stakeholders can use FRAC’s worksheet to evaluate current state policies, and identify opportunities for reducing paperwork requirements and barriers to participation.
Download - Fact Sheet
Recent FRAC CACFP Comment Letters: Regulatory and Administrative Actions, Nutrition Policy Comment Letters (CACFP Related)
Read the report - Interactive Data Tool
This interactive map provides household food insecurity rates, by state, on average over 2016-2018. Scroll over a state to view the percent of households struggling with food insecurity or very low food security. States with at least 33% of their population living in rural areas are indicated with a triangle pattern.
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