The SNAP Hunger Challenge begins today and is an opportunity to learn what food insecurity in our community feels like.

The SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) challenge is a challenge to live on the average SNAP (aka “food stamps”) benefit for one week, or roughly $5 per day. The Illini Union Office of Volunteer Programs has issued a statement to students to take up the Challenge and to post to their blog (information below).

If you choose to take part in the Challenge, let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

OVP Challenges YOU to take the SNAP Hunger Challenge – Can You Live on $5 a Day? Why $5 a day? That’s the average Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit for an individual in Illinois. Live in someone else’s shoes for one week, one day, or even just a meal. In this case, it’s the experience of an estimated 1 in 8 people in Illinois who live in poverty. Champaign County’s poverty rate is estimated at 21% — higher than that of Cook County! By raising awareness of the barriers to accessing high quality, nutritious food on a food stamp budget, we hope to mobilize the public to end hunger in Illinois. Please join us. Taking the challenge? Post to the OVP SNAP Hunger Challenge BLOG at https://illinois.edu/blog/viewAuth/1069 to let us know how you did it! Post your recipes, stories, thoughts and reflections on surviving on $5 a day.

Didn’t start on Sunday? Don’t worry! Begin the challenge today (or tomorrow) and extend it for one week!

You can also consider donating the funds you would otherwise spend on groceries this week to Illini Fighting Hunger to help food-insecure people in our community.