What is the Greater Philadelphia Food Stamp Challenge?

	Read Stories from  Participants
	Who Took the Challenge?
	Challenge Guidelines
	Real Stories: Families Who Use Food Stamps
	Food Stamp Facts

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Challenge!

From April 23-29, elected officials, journalists and more than 130 community members took the Challenge, living on just $5 of food a day—the average food stamp benefit for Philadelphia.

Nearly 1 in 7 people in the greater Philadelphia region rely on food stamps (now known as SNAP). For the rest of us, the Food Stamp Challenge offered a glimpse into their lives.
 

• Read stories from participants on the Challenge blog.
• Hear from elected officials and journalists who took part.

Why the Challenge Matters

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the nation's most important program in fighting hunger. But SNAP benefits are often too low for families to afford nutritious food and make balanced meals on a daily basis.

The average SNAP benefit in Philadelphia is about $5 a day. While some families qualify for the maximum benefit, others get as little as $16 a month. After paying for housing, utilities and other basics, many families would have little or no money for food without SNAP.

The Greater Philadelphia Food Stamp Challenge asked people to live on a SNAP budget for one week. Participants made tough food-shopping choices. Prices for items we take for granted—fruits and veggies, for example—will never be viewed the same way again.

In the Media:

• "Locals complete Food Stamp Challenge," by Tracy Davidson, NBC10 (April 30, 2012)
• "Lessons of the Food Stamp Challenge," by Annette John-Hall, The Philadelphia Inquirer (May 1, 2012)
• Radio Times' Marty Moss-Coane interviews Annette John-Hall and Brian Gralnick, director of the Jewish Federation's Center for Social Responsiblity