Hunger is a global problem, one afflicting even some in rich nations like the U.S. Sadly, many of the programs that exist to help alleviate hunger in the U.S. are sorely underutilized - for example, in 2004 only 56% of Coloradans who were eligible for federal food stamps actually took part in the program. Those who do take part in the food stamp program face additional hurdles; the Colorado Food Stamp Challenge website notes that "[t]the application for food stamps in Colorado is 21 pages long." Additionally, "[t]he minimum food stamp allocation is $10 per month. This minimum amount has not changed for 30 years."

To help raise awareness about these issues, several high-profile Coloradans, including Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Denver Human Services manager Roxane White recently took part in the Colorado Food Stamp Challenge, which

...challenges participants to live on a food stamp budget for a week by preparing and eating only food that can be purchased and prepared for $25 per person. $25 per person is the approximate weekly food stamp allotment in Colorado.

Hickenlooper's observations at the end of the challenge are worth reading in their entirety.

When Roxane White, Denver's manager of Human Services, asked if I wanted to sign on to last week's Food Stamp Challenge to help increase awareness of the difficulties faced by people living on food stamps, I was happy to comply.

It would mean shopping and eating for a week on $3.57 per day ($24.99 for the entire week). Surely, anyone could do that for one week. If my participation would help increase public awareness, I was game.

Two days into the challenge, I began to realize how difficult - almost impossible - such a budget is, even just for a week. I was hungry when I woke up and when I went to bed. It affected my physical energy and my mental energy. Food and the cost of food took up much of my time. I took no morsel for granted.

I learned quickly that it's very difficult to eat nutritiously on $3.57 a day. I'd never considered fresh fruit, vegetables and coffee luxuries, but they are. I realized, too, that with time to cook, I could eat more cheaply. For example, an egg on a tortilla costs far less but requires much more time to prepare than a quick bowl of whole- grain cereal with milk and fruit.

Whining and personal anecdotes aside, the Food Stamp Challenge was an eye-opening experience. I certainly don't regret participating. For me, it was a weeklong experience that was a choice and an experiment. For 57,000 Denver residents and 251,000 Coloradans, however, it's reality, sometimes for months on end.

We thank the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute and the Colorado Anti-Hunger Network for sponsoring this important educational campaign. Thanks also to our many city employees and others in our community who participated, deepening their awareness of how difficult it is for families and children who rely on food stamps to stay adequately fed and healthy.

Congress is currently considering whether to increase the food stamp budget for a family of four by $48 a month. After what I experienced last week, I'd say they could use the increase.

Denver, at least, has better luck with its own hunger programs, and innovative local programs also exist, such as the SAME Café. Hopefully Hickenlooper's recent experience will lead to a greater emphasis on food security here at home, in addition to the sustainability initiatives he is already known for.