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#SNAPChallenge via Mayor @CoryBooker and 5 Myths About Food Stamp Recipients

By On December 1, 2012 · 20 Comments · In Do Good Stuff, Internet Stuff, Single Parent Activities, Social Media, Stupid List Friday

In lieu of my usual Stupid List Friday, I’m posting a different kind of list. One that isn’t stupid, which probably isn’t as fun as the stupid kind, but hopefully just as interesting.

Instead, it’s about Mayor Cory Booker’s SnapChallenge. Even though I have never been to New Jersey, I am a fan of Mayor Booker for the following 10 reasons:

1.  He’s Like a Superhero

In case you haven’t heard, the man jumped into a fire and saved someone.

2.  He Knows How to Work His Social Media

It’s a bit impressive reading through Mayor Booker’s Twitter feed and all of the replies to people who are tweeting him for help. I don’t know if he has staff helping him, but I am pretty sure he gets a shit ton of tweets. I have not seen many politicians on Twitter as involved with their communities as Mayor Booker and I believe from following him on Twitter and occasionally visiting his Facebook fan page, that he genuinely cares about people. If you aren’t following him, you should be. Oh, and also, he totally snagged a bunch of free Hot Pockets during Hurricane Sandy.

3 – 10. He is Taking the SnapChallenge

Too many people are overly concerned with what someone else is getting and for some reason, there is a large part of the asshole population who think that people on food stamps are somehow getting over. You cannot know what the life is  unless you live that life and I think the SnapChallenge is the Mayor’s way of sort of finding out. The challenge is that you find out how much you would receive in food stamps and live on that for one week.

So, I’m going to try it. Obviously, you can’t experience an entire lifestyle in a week but through the SNAPChallenge, you can at least get an idea of what it would be like to only have $30 a week in your budget for food. That is how much the Mayor is allotted in New Jersey during the SNAPChallenge. In Minnesota, the guidelines say that the maximum benefit is $115.04 per month per person, which (and I don’t know if my daughter would be considered another whole person) would mean for us, $230.08. This means for the week of the SnapChallenge, December 4 through December 11, I have $57.52 to spend on food. Remember, this is the maximum amount allowed to a couple in Minnesota. I don’t even want to imagine the situation I would have to be in to qualify for this amount.

And before I get a bunch of comments from anti-food stamp people, here are some myths about food stamp recipients you may want to consider (plus it’s a list in case you’re really, really missing Stupid List Friday):

Only Minorities Are on Food Stamps:  FALSE
According to 2010 Census Data, 49% of food stamp recipients were white.

Only Loser Lazy Grown Ups Who Don’t Want to Work Are on Food Stamps:  FALSE
47% of beneficiaries in 2010 were children under 18; 8% were 60 years or older.

Only Unemployed People Receive Food Stamps:  FALSE
  41% of people who receive food stamps live in a household with earnings from a JOB.

And although I don’t have a source, the biggest myth to me is that people WANT to be on food stamps. I don’t believe for a second that most recipients would not prefer to have their own money and feed their families over receiving SNAP. Yes, there are those who may take advantage of it, but considering how low the maximum amount is, I don’t see how it would be worth it.

If you want to join the SNAPChallenge, let me know in the comments.  Here’s a video to get started. (And make sure you follow the Mayor to see how he’s doing.)

 

Also, my questions: Are you currently or have you ever been a recipient of food stamps? And if you have tips for managing the grocery budget while receiving SNAP benefits, please share.

Related content:

  1. Day 1 of the #SNAPChallenge : I Am Not Good At Living On Food Stamps
  2. Wrapping up the #SNAPChallenge. This Ain’t Over.
  3. Days 2 and 3 : Eating Well on the #SNAPChallenge

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  • Marjorie McAtee

    If you were really on food stamps, you would also take advantage of charity food pantries and soup kitchens in order to stretch that budget as far as possible.

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      Good point. But for the challenge it would be like stealing. And I try not to steal from soup kitchens.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1230432289 Dina Truman

      that’s not necessarily true.. she will have advantages some poor Ppl don’t… a car with s way to carry groceries home, as well as gas to get to food closets, etc. Many times when you’re low income, you have other barriers Ppl never think of. If you’re on the bus/walking, how many groceriesyou carry? you may have to buy smaller containers that are more expensive. your storage area may be limited, you may not have the means to access everything that rich Ppl say you can. What if food closets aren’t within walking distance, or you’re disabled and can’t walk, and you don’t have the means to go on a bus, or put gas in your car if you have one. Or you live too rurally and you have to pay for rides into town? This is the situation for some. it’s more complex than just stretching your food with 30 dollars a week..

      • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

        Plus the food shelves don’t always have enough food. I know a lot of them run low especially around this time of year. Healthwise, it isn’t the greatest (not that I’d complain) but I remember calling one to ask what they needed and the lady said “NOT green jello. We have so much green jello” and I thought, who the hell donates a ton of green jello and how is that helpful? You are right, @facebook-1230432289:disqus there are way more elements to being low income than just being able to buy food.

  • Doctor Redunkulous

    Should SNAP money pay for soda, Red Bull, and other obvious JUNKFOOD? (because it does) Soda consumption is linked to obesity, diabetes, MI, stroke, cancer, and NAFL. Estimates from credible sources report that SNAP buys a few BILLION dollars of soda a year, which translates to an insane morbidity cost from the health consequences, which BIG PHARMA loves. BIGSODA happy, BIGPHARMA happy….everyday Americans suffer health decline.

    Suggestions: 1) TAP WATER IS FREE. Lets spend some of those billions on ensuring all Americans have access to clean FREE water.

    2) LetsMOVE (the Michelle Obama campaign to reverse obesity) should be LETSnotDRINKsugar if the mission is truly to reverse childhood obesity. TIME TO EDUCATE ALL AMERICANS on the TRUTH about BIGSODA, BIGPHARMA, and the power of the LOBBY. Science tells us you cannot exercise away obesity. There is no argument in the scientific community about the most effective way to reverse obesity….Drink Less Sugar.

    3) Pass a federal junkfood tax and use this money to make REAL food affordable and accessible for all Americans.

    Finally another challenge for the daring @coryBOOKER … if you pass a one cent per ounce soda tax in Newark during your tenure and promise to use the money to fund making real food accessible and affordable for all of Newark citizens then I promise to eat on a SNAP budget for an entire year and donate the money I save from my normal food budget to your city’s effort.

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      Well, Doctor Redunkulous, although I agree with you in that soda is junk (I don’t drink it; my daughter doesn’t drink it) good luck banning it. People will always do things they know are bad for them, ie smoking, drinking soda, stuffing their faces with Twinkies. The SNAP program is not to blame for 35% of American adults being obese. Part of the challenge will be seeing how difficult it is to eat right on what a person might receive from SNAP. I’d support a junkfood tax…but considering the fact that people actually got ANGRY about schools providing healthier lunches, I don’t think it would go over well.

    • http://www.facebook.com/lucinda.gunnin Cindy Gunnin

      While I agree that soda is horrible for you and I generally don’t drink it, have you compared the price of it to fruit juice or even milk? The reality is most of the people on SNAP eat junk because junk is cheaper than good food. Another part of the obesity problem is that our nation believed politicians when they said out diet should be based on grains. Bread and pasta are cheap, fruits and veggies are either expensive, or in a can filled with sodium.
      I’m not doing to the SNAP challenge. I know I can’t abnd continue to eat gluten free. I’d rather eat healthy and just acknowledge what I already know, SNAP is insufficient for families that need it.

  • http://twitter.com/ssunithi Sunithi Selvaraj, RD

    Am in ! This sounds fun and taking a challenge to prove I can eat healthy on SNAP budget ! Family of four, so $129.79 for a week. Not bad ! Will make sure I pack lunch for everyone since that’s where we may overspend. Have a rough idea of what’s allowed, but going to check the list again. Ha ! Haven’t told family yet ;) !

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      Good luck @twitter-309673402:disqus Hope your family doesn’t beat you up over this one ;)

  • ginavalley

    This is such a great idea. I’d like to try it, but frankly if I do it this week I will end up stabbing strangers.
    I think the food stamps program, although not perfect, is a great program. Giving people the ability to have food is so basic.
    When I was growing up my parents had grocery stores, and they were one of the few in their affluent area to accept food stamps. I remember my parents talking about how important it is to make sure that everyone, especially children, has enough to eat.
    I remember at holiday time people bringing in expensive gifts they had received and asking my dad if they could trade them for food because they didn’t have money for food and even their friends and family didn’t understand that. My dad always said the same thing to each of them, “No, you can’t trade that for food. Fill a cart with whatever you need to feed your family until your next pay check. Don’t skimp. Get something special for your kids.” He’d bag it himself and he would have us stick some extra meat into the bags. He didn’t want them to be embarrassed.
    That has always stuck with me. It is so basic. Make sure people have enough to eat. Just do it.
    I think food stamps help with that and I’m glad we have that program.

    • http://twitter.com/bubblegumcari Cari Wegner

      Gina, this made me weepy. What a wonderful man/family, this explains why you are so awesome!

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      Love you and your family @ginavalley:disqus . Love that he let them get what they wanted and didn’t embarrass them. So many people help but want to dictate what the person is allowed and then look down on them for wanting something special or a treat. Hard enough when people are struggling without also treating them like some sort of subhuman.

    • http://www.facebook.com/lucinda.gunnin Cindy Gunnin

      What a wonderful man your father is/was! And what a great lesson to teach to your children!!

  • http://twitter.com/bubblegumcari Cari Wegner

    After I was divorced, and my gambling ex-husband left me penniless and homeless with two small children, one of which had special needs, I was on food stamps. I had a job too. I must admit it did supplement my food budget, but there is no way we could live on that alone. Without help I received from friends and family, it truly would’ve been devastating and I consider myself lucky. I can tell you, I would rather work, than not work and be on welfare. ONE CANNOT SURVIVE ON WELFARE ALONE!!!! That is a huge myth that people are just living off the system in the lap of luxury. If you consider eating mac n cheese and Ramen noodles every day and being trapped in your house because you can’t afford to put gas in your car luxury, then okay. I’m not doing the challenge, because I’ve been there. It was also difficult because my son has allergies which limit the choice of processed foods you can buy, bread, milk, etc. Also in my experience whether or not you can buy junk food on food stamps is up to the retailer, some grocery stores wouldn’t even allow me to purchase protein bars. And fyi, I don’t drink soda either.

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      I can’t imagine it going very far, especially when you add in food allergies. As they say, it’s cheaper to eat crap. The part that bugs me is that people are so judgmental. We don’t know why that person is buying what they are buying nor do we know their stories or why they are using an EBT card to buy groceries. Might be a better experiment to have to deal with standing in line and having everyone else judge you and your purchases.Thanks for sharing @twitter-296296413:disqus

  • Wendy

    I will be doing the SNAP Challenge in New Hampshire where I am allowed 30 dollars per week. I’ve made my menu and my shopping list. My goal is to eat as healthy as possible.

    As I normally spend 200/week on food for my family of 8, I don’t think this will be that difficult *but* that’s because due to finances and high medical costs, our family had been on a strict budget for years. We do not receive food assistance, but we live like we do.

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      @eec59b01a884f9065a211f5b2cbafd39:disqus Good luck. 200 wk for a family of 8 made my stomach hurt. I am certain I will see a bunch of areas I could probably cut back on – another reason the challenge will be a good experiment.

  • http://twitter.com/kdwald Kristin Wald

    I would like to try the SNAP challenge – but, frankly, I’m too lazy. I would like to figure out how much my family would get, and how much (little) income we’d have if we qualified. I know that the senior citizen I take grocery shopping twice month gets about $116 a month, and she lives on Social Security and a pension that leaves her $3 a month after paying for her supplemental healthcare. She makes sure to buy the 99cent loaves of bread, and the low-end cuts of meat to save money. It’s not her only food budget, since she owns the small home she lives in and doesn’t shop for clothes or go out for entertainment. But it’s close.

    • http://www.solitarymama.com/ Christina Majaski

      I’m too lazy too. In fact, I was just telling myself I don’t feel like doing it because I don’t want to plan and make a menu, etc. So, I’m not going to. I’m just going to spend the amount I have and see how messed up I get. Thankful I have the choice to decide I don’t feel like doing it but I figure if Mayor Booker can do it, I can. Maybe. We’ll see. Thanks for being honest though. I was hoping I wasn’t the only one that thought this looked like a lot of work. Bless your friend, btw. Not sure how people do it, but they do.

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