What do Congressman James McGovern, Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin, D.C. Councilwoman Mary Cheh and Executive Director of the Maryland Governor’s Office of Children Anne Sheridan have in common? They all participated in the SNAP Challenge.
The SNAP Challenge is a week-long commitment to buying and eating on a limited budget; specifically, a SNAP budget. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as Food Stamps. Close to 50 million Americans are at risk of or suffering from hunger. In the Washington metro area, around 680,000 people are at risk of hunger. Many of our neighbors rely on their SNAP benefits to put food on their tables.
Critics see the SNAP Challenge as a political ploy or a fad. No matter how it is perceived, the challenge is an opportunity to bring awareness to an issue that many people forget about after the holidays. Recently, I had the opportunity to join Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin as a guest on radio host Kojo Nnamdi’s program on NPR’s WAMU 88.5 as the three of us discussed the SNAP Program.
You can listen to a recording of the program here. Please let us know what you think about the SNAP.
We also encourage you to contact the Capital Area Food Bank with your questions about the SNAP program. You can reach us at 202-644-9800. We have staff members who focus on specific areas in the region and can answer your questions about SNAP eligibility and the application process. If you live in Montgomery County, ask for Christine Paukstis. Prince George’s County residents, please ask to be directed to Jahnin Davis. Residents of the District of Columbia should contact Amanda Melara with questions. If you live in Northern Virginia, contact Lilia Torres at 703-541-0179.