Assignment:
UNDERSTANDING POVERTY - The purpose of this assignment is to understand the realities of poverty. To do this, you will have to create a plan to feed you and your family using only the allocations given to persons receiving food stamps.
Steps in completing this assignment
A. You be purchasing food for a family of 5 composed of 2 adults, one 17 year old male, one 15 year old female and one 9 year old boy
B. Make a 30 day menu of what you would like serve your family for a month. Remember, you will not have discretionary funds to eat out, purchase coffee at shops, or buy snacks from vending machines. Be sure to include everything you will need for all your meals for a month.
C. Now make a grocery shopping list from your menu plan.
D. Food stamps have limitations with regards to what they can be used to purchase. The web site- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, that notes what can be purchased .
E. You are now going to go "shopping" for your groceries based on your menu and list. Typically, a family of 5 is allocated $450 in food stamps for a month. This is your budget!You cannot count of "school meals"
F. You do not have to do all of your shopping in one store, you can go to different stores. You can use coupons, take advantage of sales BUT you cannot use non-food stamp money!
G. You will go to a grocery store and "shop". While you do not have to make actual purchases, you do need to go to the store and make note of the prices for the food you will buy on your list. I recommend typing a list in table format with 4 columns. The first column will list the items you need to buy (include quantity). Second column will be were you write the price for the item at the store you decide to shop in. The 3rd column will list changes you make. Changes can include using coupons; changing item, etc., You will note final price in the 4thcolumn with the total at the bottom.
H. Now you are ready to evaluate your experience. You will prepare a paper that will document your experience. The paper will contain a narrative (you may write in the first person) that is typed. Papers should be double spaced with one inch margins and your full name in the upper left hand corner of each page. When you save your paper, use your last name for the file name. Papers should be no longer than 5 pages long and should include:
a. What your initial thoughts were about the assignment and a description of your "family"
b. Did you find making a monthly menu easy, challenging, bothersome, etc.
c. A summary of the shopping experience. This includes identifying what you had to do to get the food you needed for the entire month. What changes did you have to make to your list? What changes did you have to make on "brands" (if any)
d. How the process made you feel, reporting any stress, anxiety, frustration, satisfaction, confidence, etc.
e. Your opinions of the food stamp allotments (was it adequate, inadequate, etc). Do you think people can live on food stamp allocations alone
f. Any understandings gained about poverty from the experience.