BALTIMORE (January 24, 2011) — Starting Monday, January 24 and going through January 31, advocates, public and private officials, members of the media, community organization leaders and others are being asked to participate in the annual Food Stamp Challenge. The challenge asks participants to eat only food they are able to buy utilizing the amount of money that is provided to people who receive a food supplement program benefit. On average, the monthly benefit amount is $130.00 per person or $4.35 per day ($1.45 per meal).
In Maryland over 600,000 people each month rely on the food assistance program. One in nine households in Maryland (or 11.1 percent) face a constant struggle against hunger. Children and the elderly suffer greatest from the lack of food, according to the Maryland Department of Human Resources — the state's social service provider.
For more information about the Food Stamp Challenge, to sign up as a participant, or to read about the experiences of those who enroll in the Challenge, visit the Maryland Hunger Solutions website at
www.mdhungersolutions.org.