Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, led by Senators George McGovern and Robert
Dole, was eliminated in 1977. It should also be reinstated. Setting a goal to end hunger
will draw attention to the problem, which is essential, but achieving the goal will require
oversight in Congress.
One of the most visible ways for elected officials to draw attention to hunger in their
communities is to take the SNAP/Food Stamp challenge. Members of Congress, governors,
state legislators, and mayors have taken the challenge, and so have hundreds—if not thousands—of others who are not elected to public office: religious and community leaders, students, and people from all walks
of life. Here’s how the challenge
Figure 4.4 All SNAP Households Will See a Cut in November 2013
works: for a week or more, participants spend no more on food than
Monthly cut in SNAP benefits by household size
the average SNAP benefit. This
Households
comes to about $4.50 per day.21
Households of
Households of
Households of
Households of
that receive the
1
2
3
4
minimum benefit*
In November 2013, SNAP benefits will decrease unless Congress
-$11
-$20
-$29
-$36
-$1
preserves the increases approved
in the 2009 American Recovery
and Reinvest Act (Recovery Act).
See Figure 4.4. The challenge will
be more difficult, but far more
important, the lives of families
who struggle to buy groceries will
be more difficult.
In March 2013, Dr. Lewis First,
*Households of size 1 or 2 that qualify for less than $16 have their benefits rounded up to the
a pediatrician in Vermont, took the
minimum benefit. That amount will drop to $15 in FY2014.
SNAP/food stamp challenge with
Source: Stacey Dean and Dorothy Rosenbaum (August 2, 2013), “SNAP Benefits Will Be Cut
other doctors, nurses, and staff
for All Participants In November 2013,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Based on U.S.
Department of Agriculture, “SNAP—Fiscal Year 2014 Cost of Living Adjustments and ARRA
at Vermont Children’s Hospital.
Sunset Impact on Allotments,” August 1, 2013.
On his blog, Dr. First reported:
“Although the challenge ended for
me after seven days, I don’t think I can ever forget the feelings it generated in me—and as
a result, I will now advocate even more for our patients and families who experience food
insecurity and hunger, and whose “challenge” is not just living on food stamps for seven
days—but every day.”22 It’s especially encouraging to hear from doctors and others in the
medical profession. Hunger is a public health problem, and the more we talk about it this
way, the sooner we may be able to reduce the stigma that makes it a much harder problem
to solve than it should be.
The consequences of child hunger, particularly hunger experienced by very young children, are so serious in terms of stunting their physical and intellectual development that
people with a wide range of political views have generally been able to agree on support for
child nutrition programs. The WIC program targets pregnant women and children in their
earliest years. The 1,000-day window between pregnancy and age 2 is the most critical period
in human development. Babies whose mothers are food insecure during pregnancy are more
130? Chapter 4
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