Hunger is on the rise in America, especially as more families continue to rely on food stamps. In fact, more than one in four families around the country live on food stamps, according to the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Hunger is even more of a problem in Philadelphia’s 1st Congressional District, where Hunting Park sits. The district is considered one of the poorest – and second hungriest – areas in the country. Congressman Bob Brady is hoping to bring awareness to the issue by living off of $5 a day for a week during the last week of the month, but some described Brady’s actions as a political stunt.
“I’d be embarrassed and I’d be ashamed to participate in a hunger challenge if I wasn’t able to improve it in eight terms,” said John Featherman, a realtor who’s running against Brady in the May congressional primaries.
A part of Featherman’s election platform includes making the district less reliant on food stamps with more federal aid, despite that state lawmakers recently approved of a plan to cut funding. But as stricter eligibility requirements for Pennsylvania’s food stamp program begin May 1, it appears both candidates are too late to help the 180,000 Philadelphians who could be affected.
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