Take the Food Stamp Challenge

October 27-November 3

Join Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, the Honorary Chair of the

Food Stamp Challenge

 Plus

Rev. Donald Anderson &

Rabbi Peter Stein & other community leaders

The Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition whose mission is to cut poverty in half by 2020 invites you to participate in the in the 2011 Food Stamp Challenge.

Participants will be asked to live on $31.50 a week the nationwide average

monthly food stamp benefit for FY2010 which is:

$4.50 a day

$1.50 per meal

 The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, commonly referred to as

Food Stamps assists:

Nearly 45 million low income people

More than half of the food stamp  recipients are children

8% are individuals over the age of 60.

Rhode Islanders Living in poverty:

14% of the population

19% children

36.5% African American

30% Hispanic

A record 160,608 Rhode Islanders received food stamps benefits in June 2011

After taking the challenge we believe that you will join us in combating proposals to cut funding and be committed to strengthening the program through enhanced benefits and reductions in barriers to participation.

Our faith tells us that we are obligated to assist the hungry. For thousands of years we have heeded this call. Pease join us –even if you can only commit for a few days- in the Food Stamp Challenge. It is an excellent approach for our community to understand the struggles of hunger in Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition is an extension of the national effort to Fight Poverty with Faith. The Coalition came together in the summer of 2008 to organize the Rhode Island faith community in addressing matters affecting the poor, the vulnerable, and the disenfranchised. The Coalition includes members of various faith communities and justice-seeking community partners who believe that coordinated action is essential to cutting domestic poverty.  The Coalition seeks to garner our moral authority to press for policy solutions that will overcome the root causes of poverty, in Rhode Island and across the country.

To sign-up for the Food Stamp Challenge go online at: foodstampchallengeri.eventbrite.com   or contact Marty Cooper at mcooper@shalomri .org or 421-4111 ext.171 or Donald Anderson at danderson@councilofchurchesri.org or 461-5558