Living on food stamps: newark mayor cory booker takes up challenge

A campaign to raise awareness about the struggles of low-income Americans who depend on food stamps gets a high-profile plug today as Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, N.J., begins a week of

living on $30 worth of food. The Democratic politician took up the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge after getting into a discussion with a fellow Twitter user about "the role the government

should play in funding school breakfast and lunch programs," _The Star-Ledger_ writes. His challenge (SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps) is to

live for a week on the $4-or-so per day average that New Jersey food stamp recipients receive. Booker is very active on Twitter, and is sure to be posting updates about his experience.

He's already twitpic'd a photo of his grocery receipt for the week. He spent $29.78, mostly on fruits, some vegetables and "lots of beans," as _The Star-Ledger_ says.

Booker writes on Linked In that: "My goals for the #SNAPChallenge are to raise awareness and understanding of food insecurity; reduce the stigma of SNAP participation; elevate

innovative local and national food justice initiatives and food policy; and, amplify compassion for individuals and communities in need of assistance. Over the next seven days, I plan to

highlight the voices of people involved in local food policy, the SNAP program, and other related initiatives. ... Throughout this week, I will document my #SNAPChallenge experiences and

reflections on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and through video on #waywire." A previous post about the mayor: " Today's Hero: Newark Mayor Cory Booker, For Going Into A Burning

Building." Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.