Can you Live on $4.18 a day?

San Diego County CA— Can you live on a food budget of $4.18 a day? That’s the average amount that hundreds of thousands of San Diego County residents receive in the form of CalFresh to help put food on their tables. CalFresh is California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), one of our nation’s most effective anti-hunger programs. Each year, the San Diego Hunger Coalition hosts its #CalFreshChallenge as a way to encourage people who don’t have to worry about not having enough food to experience what life is like for many low-income San Diegans.
This year, the Challenge will take place May 8 -12 to coincide with CalFresh Awareness Month. During this week, participants are challenged to live on the average San Diego County CalFresh benefit per person which is now $4.18/day or $20.92/5 days. Participants are encouraged to make an even greater impact by fundraising between May 1 – 15. All proceeds will support the work of the San Diego Hunger Coalition’s CalFresh Task Force to make sure all eligible people in need can enroll in the program. Top fundraisers will receive prize packs with donations from the Hunger Coalition’s generous community partners. Interested participants can register for the Challenge and create their fundraising page today at sdhunger.org/cfc.
Following the #CalFreshChallenge, the community is invited to join the San Diego Hunger Coalition for happy hour at Benchmark Brewing Company (6190 Fairmount Ave. Suite G., San Diego, CA 92120) on Thursday, May 25 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm to celebrate this year’s Challenge participants and to recognize the top fundraisers. Every Sunday throughout the month of May, Benchmark Brewing Company will sell their Table Beer at the “CalFresh Special” price of $4.18 to raise awareness about hunger in our community. The Table Beer, Benchmark’s Belgian Pale Ale, will also be available for this special price during the happy hour on May 25.
“We live in the one of the best cities in the world for craft beer, where many of us spend more on one beer than others in our community have to spend on food for an entire day,” states Anahid Brakke, the Hunger Coalition’s executive director. “CalFresh can’t be used to buy alcohol or other non-food items, but we wanted an easy way to illustrate how meager food stamp benefits really are.”
CalFresh provides temporary assistance in a person or family’s time of need. According to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, more than 285,000 people – nearly half of whom are children — are receiving CalFresh benefits. The average time households in San Diego County receive CalFresh is less than two years.
With federal support and funding for SNAP uncertain under the current administration, joining the fight against hunger in our region is more important than ever. The 2017 CalFresh Challenge provides the opportunity to raise awareness and money while supporting this cause through one’s own lived experience.
2017 CalFresh Challenge community partners: Belmont Park, Benchmark Brewing Company, Healing Arts Massage & Wellness, The House of Yogi, Kettner Exchange, Maritime Museum of San Diego, Nate’s Garden Grill, The Patio on Goldfinch, The Pearl Hotel, Piatti Ristorante & Bar, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Ballet, San Diego Museum of Man, Slater’s 50/50, Sprinkles Cupcakes & Ice Cream, Stadium Golf & Batting Cages, and Yoga One