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Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton learned what life is like for many by spending a week living on food stamps, an allowance of $29.

Last week's SNAP Experience program was sponsored by the Arizona Community Action Association. Stanton and other participants had to live on the allowance of a typical SNAP recipient.

The Supplemental Food Assistance Program is the third-largest nutrition-assistance program in the country.

During the challenge, Stanton skipped full meals to save money and subsisted on ramen noodles, pasta, chicken and coffee.

He lost four pounds.

Stanton posted on Facebook that finding nutritious food for that amount of money was difficult.

KTAR.com,

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  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    He was living like a fat cat
    September 25, 2012 1:28 pm
    just like all the other lazy moochers suckling at the teet of big brother..er...mother. My hat off to you Stanton for placing your feet in the shoes of many of the people you represent.
  • Abuse
    dmar156 wrote...
    Someone needs to check out the Reservations
    September 25, 2012 1:45 pm
    There is so much abuse of the food stamp program all over the indian reservations. I keep seeing news articles about how food stamp recipients live in poverty and such. But because it is federal land, auditing them is not an option. People all over the reservation are getting hundreds of dollars a month, even over $2000s a month, and working a job. Most of the food stamps are "sold" (traded) and used to buy drugs and drink alcohol. Others use the food stamps to purchase food to sell at food booths and receive tax free revenue.
  • Abuse
    1redcav wrote...
    Now, he knows
    September 25, 2012 5:38 pm
    how most of the Valley lives....I'll bet former mayor Gordon never did that...
  • Abuse
    wrote...
    $29.00???
    September 25, 2012 7:11 pm
    This is soooo not the truth. They get WAYYYY more than that. Otherwise they would be using coupons and shopping smarter. LIES LIES LIES!!!!
  • Abuse
    parrotheadkrm wrote...
    A little misleading....
    September 26, 2012 6:51 am
    $29 may be what the "average" person gets on food stamps. However, most, if not all people on food stamps don't just survive on food stamps alone. If spent a week doing what most people do while getting assistance, he would have had a much easier time. Not saying he would be living high on the hog, but it would have been enough to at least get by. Still, probably would have had to cut out coffee, but he could have eaten more then roman noodles.
  • Abuse
    Skins wrote...
    Food Stamps
    September 26, 2012 7:09 am
    I work for Costco and people use Food Stamps all the time there. They spend over $100 consistently in Food Stamps. Also, at the bottom of there receipt the remaining balance of Food Stamps is shown and usually it is over $200. I always think to myself while I am scanning the items of the customer that they eat better than I do.
  • Abuse
    wrote...
    Oh snap!
    September 26, 2012 10:43 am
    He lost 4 pounds....next up, the newest diet craze: "The Welfare Diet".....he just solved our obesity problem.
  • 1

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