How did food stamp challengers fare?

Living on food stamp benefits was more difficult than some Oklahomans expected this month when they challenged themselves to a hunger awareness crusade.

This month, a coalition of Oklahoma nonprofit groups joined a nationwide effort to raise awareness about food stamps during the Food Stamp Challenge 2007.

Participants were asked to live on $21 worth of groceries per person per week — the equivalent of the average weekly food stamp benefit in Oklahoma.

"It got me through the week OK, but I found myself wanting things I never eat, like McDonalds and Taco Bell because they were cheap,” said Monica Eason, executive vice president of the Communications Workers of America Local 6016.

For $20.68, Eason bought a can of pasta sauce, pasta, instant rice, eggs, bread, tuna, salad vegetables, cheese and chicken.

It wasn't close to the typical meals she was used to eating each week.

"As far as the food, it was not very good, because I'm used to a lot more variety,” she said.

Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, said coalition members had a tremendous response, even from people who didn't participate or were concerned for other reasons.

"What I think it's done has really raised awareness about the struggles people have to put food on their table, and that the food stamp program ... really is inadequate and they need to raise the benefit levels,” he said.

For some older Oklahomans who receive food stamps to supplement their retirement income, $21 a week can seem like a luxury.

Disabled and diabetic, Shirley Baker, 72, of Oklahoma City lives on $703 a month, supplemented with about $18 a month in food stamps.

"If we have a health problem, we can't eat off that and stay healthy,” she said. "It's just by the grace of God that I have kids here who can help me, but I can't depend on them forever.”

Many seniors have difficulty paying for their prescriptions, medical bills and food at the same time,