Food Stamps

Sander Levin, a congressman from Michigan, has announced that he will be living on the food stamp budget in order to protest the cuts that may occur based on the farm bill. Surviving on less than five dollars per day for groceries sounds impossible but it is a fact of life for many people who are recipients of food stamps. While this already seems like an unliveable condition, the possible cuts to the food stamp program which may happen soon will make the amount suitable for living per day even smaller. To get a better sense of the hardship and raise awareness about the possible cuts to the federal food stamp program, the congressman plans on participating in the food stamp budget.

The expenses will parallel those of a Michigan recipient during a typical week of food stamps. Levin noted, “Far too many Americans continue to struggle just to feed themselves and their families. And yet House Republicans have proposed $20 billion in cuts to food stamps, which help the neediest among us. Participating in this challenge will provide me some insight into the struggle so many Americans face and I hope will highlight why we should not cut the program.”

The cuts which are included in the farm bill are expected to get a vote during the week of June 17th. Levin’s office believes that they could eliminate assistance to 1.8 million individuals and drastically reduce the amount of benefits for over 500,000 people. The congressman will begin the week of the challenge by taking a shopping trip to Ferndale Foods, where he will discuss the impacts of the food cuts with representatives from local food charity and advocacy groups in the area. This week of sacrifice is considered to be part of the national effort called the SNAP challenge.

In the past, there have been many others who have participated in the challenge to help promote awareness about how difficult it is for those who use food stamps to help feed themselves and their families. There is a common misconception that those who use the food stamp program are “living off of the government” or that it makes their lives easier. The reality is that many people who use the program still don’t have enough food to feed their families and still struggle to find ways to provide meals, especially to children. Many parents who have school age children put their children into meal programs at the school based on their availability with having food stamps because it means that they can ensure that their child is getting a balanced lunch at school, which is often something that they cannot provide at home.

Attention to the food stamp challenge has become more prominent within the past week since the news of the possible food stamp cuts has become more prevalent throughout the country. There are many who fear that their benefits may be reduced soon and that they will not have a way to provide meals for their families based on the changes provided in the farm bill.