Local Officials Live on Food Stamps for One Week
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) It's going to be a slim week for Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, his wife Amy and three kids. They have agreed to eat as though they are on food stamps, which made the weekly trip to the grocery store a challenge:"It's stressful," says Amy Corroon. "Like we would never buy canned fruit, but I don't think we'll be able to afford fresh fruit. We refuse to buy Top Ramen and macaroni and cheese, but I can see having this type of budget week after week - wanting some variety - you would probably have to buy it."
Amy filled a cart with the cheapest milk, cheese, bread and vegetables she could find. Mayor Corroon kept track of the cost on a calculator and had to forgo his favorite treat - brie cheese - which was too expensive. Food stamps allow a family of five about 110-dollars a week - that's one dollar per person per meal.
"We're okay," said Corroon after writing a check for the grocery total $91.96. "With a little planning you can do it. No frills and no extras, but there you go."
Corroon agreed to take the Food Stamp Challenge as part of a national effort drawing awareness to the difficulties food stamp recipients face as health care, rent and commuting expenses rise. Governor Jon Huntsman and State Representatives Jennifer Seelig and John Dougall are also eating on a food stamp budget this week. More than 130-thousand people in Utah receive food stamps.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Rene Zepeda said:
I remember hearing about this some years ago and the politician who did it ended up sounding just as smug as Corroon appears to be. They wouldn't last a month. I can say this because I did AmeriCorps for 2 years and since I chose not to do foodstamps, I also worked a 2nd, restaurant job. I was single, however, so kudos to families that have to suffer this for long periods of time. One week! Oh Please!
2. Anonymous said:
I received FS awhile for 2 people, which ended up being about 30.00 a week. It is tough making it on this kind of budget. i work full time before taxes per month i make 1344.00. I pay 778.00 a month in rent yes I pay full rent not subsidized, the phone, electric, gas, gas for my car and and a 100.0 car payment. usually a weekly budget consist of 2 gal of milk 1 dzn eggs, bag apples, bag of oranges 4 boxes of mac and cheese 2lbs of hamburger, box of cereal 1 loaf of bread and a lb of butter one week and lb of cheese the next. not funny when you budget like this and you cant treat your daughter with something she likes to eat. i am with Rene try this for a month or two, with low wages, outrageous rent, the gas prices and yes i need to drive to work as the bus does not go my way...if i were to choose a roof over our heads and food. i would choose a roof. but then again i had no choice i now make 1612.80 a month before taxes and i got cut from the program. so now we live off of about 50.00 a month for food. good luck to the politicians, i am sure it won't affect you any you make 6 digits a year...