Oxy Food Stamp Challenge

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program helps more than 44.5 million low-income people (3.6 million in California alone) purchase food for themselves and their families. The program is designed as a safety net to help ensure people have access to food during difficult times, with the majority of people leaving the program within nine months. More than half of SNAP recipients are children, and eight percent are over 60 years of age.

Take the Challenge
for a chance to win $50

Members of the Oxy community are taking the Food Stamp Challenge in order to better understand how the program is working on a personal level. For one week, starting Sunday, October 30, 2011, students/faculty/staff taking part in the challenge will live on the California average food stamp benefit. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for administering the SNAP Program, the California average monthly benefit in FY 2010 was $136.75, approximately $4.50 a day.

Anyone who participates in the challenge will be entered into a drawing for $50 deposited onto their Flex account with Campus Dining. Four names will be drawn. Sign up to participate in the challenge today! The deadline to sign up is October 14 at 5pm. If you can't participate, keep up with those taking the challenge on the Oxy Food Stamp Challenge Blog that will be posted on the Food Justice Month webpage.