Health, Science, Environment

As the number of Americans receiving food stamps increases – it has now reached an all time high of more than 21 and a half million households – an ongoing debate over whether the system is working has emerged.

Last fall, over a dozen members of Congress took the “Food Stamp Challenge” to see what it was like to live solely on a food stamp budget for a week. Bay Area representatives Barbara Lee of Oakland and Jackie Speier of San Mateo both participated. Congresswoman Lee had to live on four dollars and fifty cents a day.

On today’s Your Call, we’ll have a conversation about the new documentary Food Stamped. One out of eight Americans are on food stamps. There are 2.6 million in California . That’s more than ever. The average allotment is about a $1.20 a meal. Americans support doubling food stamp benefits. Is it possible to get enough food on a dollar a meal? What will it take to reverse this trend? It’s Your Call with me, Rose Aguilar, and you.

Guests:

Yoav Potash, an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and social justice advocate

Societies around the world recognize child literacy and elementary education as human rights. It’s actually guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 24 of that Convention also guarantees the following:

“States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.”