The Food Stamp Challenge - My Challenges Go On

By Brenda Rupp, The Family Investment Administration, Maryland Department of Human Resources

My Second Challenge

Day 1:

I was able to get through the first day but felt hungry at dinnertime. It was challenging cooking dinner for my family, as they are not doing this with me. Oh how I wanted so badly to eat what I had prepared them for dinner. I prayed to GOD for strength and will power to not cheat.

My Third Challenge

Day 2:

By the lunch the second day, I was very sick. I realized it was because I was using my tap water to drink rather than Deer Park Spring Water that I usually drink. We have well water and it is full of chemicals and not only tastes bad but has a funky smell. When buying my groceries, it did not dawn on me to buy bottled water. Even if I had remembered, that would have taken up most of my budget. As much as I wanted to continue to drink the tap water, I had to cheat and drink the deer park water for health reasons. One of the things my doctor told me 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with Chron’s disease is that well water can be debilitating to the disease. I had to use the water from my deer park cooler at home. I felt so so bad for cheating (not buying the water) but had to for my health.