Kyle Mills / Post Independent
LIFT-UP, the 37-year-old nonprofit known for managing food pantries throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and Garfield County, has introduced a new $4-a-day challenge.
According to a press release, the awareness campaign aims to shine a light on the fact that hunger is a year-round struggle for more than 2,700 families that are served each month by LIFT-UP food pantries.
LIFT-UP has called on the public to participate in the challenge to experience what it is like to eat and drink on a $4-a-day budget.
Why $4 a day? — $4.15 is the national allocation of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), previously Food Stamps, funding for qualifying low-income individuals.
The $4-a-day challenge is an educational opportunity for the community to stretch their food budgets and plan ahead for shopping and meal prep, with the goal of cost-efficiency while making healthy food choices, according to the release from the nonprofit agency.
“Participants will find themselves forced to make food shopping choices on a limited budget, and learn how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods and stay healthy.”
The Challenge will begin Monday, July 15.
LIFT-UP will have recipes, partner links and ways to stretch dollars, as well as healthy food choices information, on the LIFTUP.org website and social media, according to the release.
