Phoenix Mayor Attempts To Live On A Food Stamp Budget: ‘I’m Tired, And It’s Hard To Focus’

[midnight]

"When local activist groups challenged Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton to live on a food stamp budget for a week to mark Hunger Awareness Month, he took them up on the offer and found out just how hard it was. Stanton kept a diary on the challenge, which allotted him roughly $29 a week, the same amount 1.1 million Arizonans receive from the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) each week.

By day four, Stanton noted that he was “tired” and “it’s hard to focus” after leaving the house for work without time to scramble eggs or eat a decent breakfast:
OK- ran out the door today with no time to scramble eggs or even make a sandwich. So I’m surviving on an apple and handful of peanuts, and the coffee I took to the office until dinner. I’m tired, and it’s hard to focus. I can’t go buy a sandwich because that would be cheating- even the dollar menu at Taco Bell is cheating. You can’t use SNAP benefits at any restaurants, fast food or otherwise. I’m facing a long, hungry day and an even longer night getting dinner on the table, which requires making EVERYTHING from scratch on this budget. It’s only for a week, so I’ve got a decent attitude. If I were doing this with no end in sight, I probably wouldn’t be so pleasant."http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/26/917651/phoenix-mayor-attempts-to-live-on-a-food-stamp-budget-im-tired-and-its-hard-to-focus/

One in four children in Arizona living with food insecurity...

[diabeticman]

1. This isn't easy. My wife and I live a form of this. We don't get food stamps but right now

we only have my paycheck to live on. We have $95 dollars until Oct 5th and ALL of that is going for gas to get me to and from work.

All my paycheck went to pay for that trip to Pittsburgh for wife Grand Jury Duty AND fixing the furnace our landlord has not fixed in 5 months. We needed to get it fixed because Western PA is getting cold and my wife's health is weak NOT weak enough that it use to be but she get sick VERY easily and she can't afford to get Pneumonia both physically and money wise.

[FirstLight]

2. it doesn't always stretch

that's for sure...my cash benefits come at the 3rd of the month, FS not till the 8th....unless i am prepared to "live out of the pantry" that week or two ends up costing me my utilities...

[midnight]

3. That's right.... and Paul Ryan want's to cut whatever the benefits are because he thinks they are

bringing down the economy.... He doesn't stop and think about the insider trading where he made millions at the expense of this country working for all of us...


It sure would be justice if those in congress would have to live closer to what they expect families on assistance to live on...