Food Stamp Challenge November 29, 2009

Pendleton Community Garden’s “Food Stamp Challenge” to Highlight Growing Problem of Food Insecurity.

Pendleton, IN – The Pendleton Community Garden will sponsor a “Food Stamp Challenge,” November 30th through December 6th. Participants will live for one week on the average food stamp benefit ($21 per week) to raise visibility and awareness of the struggles that many low income families face in obtaining healthy food.

The Food Stamp Program helps more than 16,000 low-income Madison County residents 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 food stamp recipients are children and eight percent are over 60 years of age.

Registration forms may be picked up at the Pendleton Community Public Library. Even if you choose not to participate, you can still support the Challenge by sponsoring a participant or by donating food at the library. Monetary donations will support the Pendleton Community Garden, while all food donations will go to the Ingalls Food Pantry at South Madison Community Church. If you have any questions concerning the “Food Stamp Challenge,” please call Tyler Gough at the Library 778-7527.