Oregon governor lives on food stamps to spotlight hunger

This week, the governor of Oregon is finding out how challenging it can be to feed a family on a food stamp budget.

Governor Ted Kulongoski is used to fancy political dinners, but he's giving up that luxury to shop and live on a diet of food stamps in order to raise awareness of Oregon's hunger problem.

The governor and his wife have agreed to eat on just three dollars a day, the average amount given to food stamp recipients in that state.

"Just realize that some of us are more fortunate than others and there are an awful lot of people -half million of them that are going thru this process every month," says Governor Kulongoski.

With grocery list in hand, Governor Kulongoski walked the aisles at a grocery store with help from Christina Sigman-Davenport, a mother of three whose family relies on food stamps.

"We try to keep it simple as possible. That's why during the week we have a lot of polish sausages, macaroni and cheese, hamburger helper, things that are quick and easy"

The governor opposes the Bush administration's plan to cut food stamp benefits to about 185,000 people in the U.S.

Those targeted by the cuts became eligible for the stamps because they were receiving other government assistance.

Roberto Salazar, a representative of the USDA, says that's a loophole that needs to be fixed.

"We want to make sure that these individuals are not receiving food stamps if indeed they are not eligible based on the income criteria that all other food stamp recipients must meet."

Governor Kulongoski also points out that in Oregon, children are particularly vulnerable to hunger since 50-percent of the state's food stamp recipients are under the age of 18.