On Saturday night, Peter and I were invited to a friend's home in another part of New Jersey for dinner. They knew I would bring my own food, which I did. Leftover pasta with leftover sautéed cabbage with cheese on top - all in a dish that I warmed in their microwave. For dessert, my apple in slices with peanut butter. Satisfying enough that I was not really hungry until mid-morning on Sunday, when I had a yogurt and banana.
Sunday night ended with a quick omelette with the last of the shredded cheese and two pieces of toast. Looking over the fridge and pantry at the food purchased for my week of living on $29.40, I had the following left: 1/2 cabbage, 1/3 small bag uncooked black beans, box of pasta, 2 pieces of bread, three carrots, a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter.
What I ate and when I ate it and how much was leftover is not really the point. I was never really hungry. If I had needed more calories, they were right in the cupboard waiting. I had a kitchen to store and prepare food. I am immensely blessed.
Those who live this way every day, feed their children on limited incomes, lack nutritional education, and have poor access to healthy inexpensive foods -- they should be utmost in our thoughts. How do we help them?
One way is monetary. Monthly donations - automatic is best - to one's local food bank. Here in New Jersey that is Community Food Bank of New Jersey. You can find them at https://community.cfbnj.org If you live near their location (Hillside, NJ) you can volunteer and sort food and do other tasks there. Awesome place - collects and redistributes food to food pantries around NJ. You can also give to MAZON: The Jewish Response to Hunger. They give grants to food banks and food pantries and soup kitchens and such. And they do advocacy. Find them at http://mazon.org
Locally here in Jersey City there are so many wonderful food pantries and programs. If you are doing a canned food drive, two of the excellent places to drop your donations are The Sharing Place at St. Paul Lutheran Church http://stpauljerseycity.org/stpaul/social-ministries/sharing-place/ or Old Bergen Church on Highland Avenue.
Advocacy is also critical. Read about SNAP (the Food Stamp program). Check out what is happening on the state level. For example, read about the dangerously slow review of SNAP applicants here in NJ that threatens federal funding to NJ for food stamps then write to Gov. Christie and voice your concern. http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/letter_slow_snap_application_review_distresses_new_jersey_families.html
There are issues beyond how much money is needed to purchase food if you are living on limited income. There are also access issues and food inflation issues.
Our mayor, Steve Fulop, just wrote an excellent opinion piece published on nj.com on food inflation and what the Jersey City administration is doing about it. Right on, Mr. Mayor. Read it here:
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/food_cost_inflation_now_on_special_at_some_supermarkets_opinion.html#incart_river
My experience on the Food Stamp Challenge for the second time has taught me to count my blessings. My ability to go out and put down $25 for a restaurant meal is not something I earned through my hard work - I was born into a family that was not rich, but was always comfortable. The education and opportunities that flowed from that mean that so far in life I have not suffered from food insecurity.
Our Jewish tradition is replete with teachings of sharing one's food - from Abraham preparing a meal for the strangers to Isaiah's demand to feed the hungry to the Jewish custom in the "old country" of setting a table for the poor of the community at one's celebrations.
Yes, I feel guilty when I indulge in an expensive meal knowing the same dollars could feed someone for a week (and in some parts of the world for a month). Here's my new thought: each time one goes to leave a tip at a restaurant, donate another "tip" to the hungry. If it's $5 for the waiter, then it's another $5 to the Food Bank or to buy cans for a food drive. Put the $5 in a separate place in your wallet. It can even be done right at the table by donating quickly online. And encourage the others at your table to do the same as you educate them on this issue.
If you try this, let me know how it goes.
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