A challenge for some, a reality for others — Yad Ezra, a Kosher food pantry in Southfield, is urging the public to attempt to budget their food at $4.20 for 24 hours.
The move is to draw attention to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Currently 1.3 million people living in Michigan need food assistance. That boils down to one out of every seven Michiganders needing food assistance, within that group more than 1/4 are children.
Lea Luger, a the executive director of Yad Ezra, said she found herself weighing individual sweet potatoes and bananas trying to fit every bit of healthy food into her $4.20 budget for a single day’s food. It wasn’t easy.
“Food is expensive — the healthier food is certainly more expensive — when I went shopping for this challenge, I was weighing the tomatoes and the sweet potatoes just to make sure I didn’t go over that 4-20 mark,” said Luger. “It’s hard to live like that. It’s not healthy.”
That’s why Luger’s food pantry is challenging supporters, and friends, to live a day on $4.20. The challenge begins Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. when Yad Ezra supporters will head to the Meijer in Southfield (Telegraph & 12 Mile) to shop.
The goal is to gain a better understanding of the people that Yad Ezra and other community food banks serve.
Those who accept the challenge are asked to please contact Nechama at Yad Ezra at (248) 548-3663 or Nechama@yadezra.org.
