Trying to eat on $26 a week, as those on social assistance do, is harder than it sounds, says a group of Belmont secondary students who took on the challenge.

B次元官网网址淭he first two days a lot of us found it easy,B次元官网网址� said Chris Moore, who lasted four days. B次元官网网址淏ut after a while, once you run out of food, you start getting hungrier and hungrier.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淵ou just have zero energy whatsoever,B次元官网网址� said Kaeleigh Gaunt, who made it three days. B次元官网网址淵our mood totally goes down and I was starting to get depressed.B次元官网网址�

As a part of their social justice course at the school, five students chose to take part in the challenge, organized by Raise the Rates, a coalition of community groups with concerns over poverty.

An able-bodied individual receives $610 per month on social assistance, a rate which has not increased since 2007. Factoring in a bare-bones rent and other essentials, the organization calculates about $26 is left for food per individual, per week.

Organizer Bill Hopwood estimates more than 100 people took part.

B次元官网网址淎ll of them said at the end of the week B次元官网网址楾hank goodness I only have to do it for a week, I donB次元官网网址檛 know how people survive on that,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Hopwood said. B次元官网网址淧eople on welfare are so desperate itB次元官网网址檚 making it harder to get out of that world.B次元官网网址�

Of the first four students who took on the challenge, only one made it through the week, Jaelin Ellis. The fifth student, Kurt Pearce, was in the midst of the challenge at the time of writing.

The students started by combing the grocery store for the cheapest items, and wound up with Heinz Zoodles, a canned pasta. They would eat Zoodles for breakfast, maybe an apple and granola bar at lunch and Zoodles again for dinner.

Teacher Danielle Huculak estimates students got about 500 calories a day. A moderately active teenager is recommend to eat roughly between 2,000 and 2,800 calories a day, depending on gender and weight.

By day three the students had trouble focusing in class and felt weak and ill.

Moore said a hockey practice around day three nearly did him in.

B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 feeling well before and I got on the ice and fell down and couldnB次元官网网址檛 really get up for like five minutes,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 got off the ice. I should have quit that night.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 felt like I was going to pass out a few times,B次元官网网址� Gaunt said. B次元官网网址淚 just had to quit because I was too hungry. ItB次元官网网址檚 a hard thing to do.B次元官网网址�

Huculak knew the challenge would be difficult and kept a close eye on the students to see how they were doing.

B次元官网网址淲hen I was hearing them talk I said B次元官网网址榊ou need to stop. You have permission to stop,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he point had been made, so they didnB次元官网网址檛 need to go the seven days. I think it was a pretty enlightening experience.B次元官网网址�

Moore said he lost three pounds during the challenge, Gaunt two pounds and Matthew Pounden, who lasted three days, about four or five pounds.

The experience helped the students realize just how good they have it, with parents who are able to afford regular, balanced meals. They all now believe social assistance does not give enough money for food.

The students plan to write a letter to the government telling of their experience and imploring that social assistance rates be raised.

B次元官网网址淚t would be a good thing to see the government try and do this and realize that itB次元官网网址檚 not enough for a person to live off of for a whole week,B次元官网网址� Gaunt said. B次元官网网址�(ItB次元官网网址檚) a reality check.B次元官网网址�