The Food Basket Challenge is a campaign to generate conversation about poverty issues and solutions.
The premise is simple: Several high-profile people in Saskatoon will attempt to live off a food basket from the Saskatoon Food Bank for up to one week and share their experiences online. The food basket itself is a tool to spark meaningful conversation about poverty issues that limit opportunities for our community.
The first Food Basket Challenge was held Sept. 12th to 20th, 2011. Thirteen people took the Challenge and thousands more tuned in to follow their stories. The honesty and insight shared to the community was deeply personal, creating a powerful forum for having hard conversations.
A second campaign is planned for fall 2012. Once again we will come together as a community to talk about poverty, hope and opportunity.
Stay tuned.
FAQS
What is the Food Basket Challenge?
For one week several high-profile people in Saskatoon will attempt to live off a food basket from the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre. Over the week they will share their thoughts and experiences online.
What are you trying to achieve?
The Food Basket Challenge aims to foster a dialogue about poverty in our community and strengthen the relationships between people who possess the lived experience of poverty and those who do not. It’s about moving past the illusions of poverty and getting to the root of the issues with powerful conversation.
We’re not pushing any specific agenda policy. There are multiple strategies to ending poverty – let’s start the conversation.
What will the participants eat?
Participants will receive a standard food basket from the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre – the same food basket any other person would receive.
Food baskets typically consist of two to three days of food, although in reality many who rely on food baskets must make them last for one or two weeks.
The Challenge is to exist for up to one week using the food provided in the food basket, as well as up to five basic pantry items (flour, sugar, coffee, etc.) and $5.00 to supplement the food basket for the week.
Participants will not eat out or accept free food or drink. To make their food supplies last longer, the participants are welcome to use community meal programs (soup kitchens).
How can people understand poverty after just one week living off a food basket?
Poverty is a complex issue. People cannot understand hunger or poverty by living off a food basket for one week. Challenge participants can go back to their regular lives at any time. People living in poverty don’t have that choice.
We recognize the limitations of this Challenge but hope it will deepen the relationship between those who possess the lived experience of poverty and those who do not.
Who participated in the Challenge?
For participant bios and information please click here.
Doesn’t this Challenge take food away from the people who really need it?
No – funds have been donated for the specific purpose of replenishing the food used in the Challenge.
Who is organizing this?
The Food Basket Challenge is a collaboarative collective impact campaign organized by multiple groups and individuals, including the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre and Saskatoon Health Region (Health Promotion Department).
What are you trying to promote?
The Food Basket Challenge doesn’t promote any specific policy, agenda or mandate. Our goal is to spark a genuine dialogue about poverty in our community.