Food insecurity and hunger are real issues and they are
issues that people are dealing with right here
Another staggering statistic is children enrolled in the
free and reduced meal program in Marshfield public schools. The percentage of
students participating has more than doubled over the past decade going from
15% in 2003 to 34.5% in 2013. In 2012, one out of every five students from the
Marshfield Middle and High Schools indicated that he or she had gone to bed
hungry in the past 30 days because there was not enough food in the home.
In an attempt to bring awareness to the hunger issues facing
many of our community members, Marshfield Area United Way is inviting the
entire community to take the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
Challenge. The SNAP Challenge gives participants a view of the struggle to
obtain adequate food that is faced by millions of low-income Americans
receiving FoodShare benefits. From October 6th through October 10th individuals
participating in the SNAP Challenge will be allowed to spend $4 per day to eat.
For a family of four, this would mean feeding all four family members three
meals for the day on just $16. By living on the average food stamp benefit,
Challenge participants will find themselves forced to make food shopping
choices on a limited budget, and learn how difficult it is to avoid hunger,
afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy without adequate resources.
To join the community SNAP
Challenge and receive a Challenge toolkit that explains your role as a
participant, please contact Marshfield Area United Way at 715-384-9992 or unitedway@tznet.com. More information
about the SNAP Challenge is also available at www.marshfieldareaunitedway.org.
