Up really early to make an appearance on WindyCityLive that will air on Friday, April 8. I am amazed that people are this interested in this challenge. And make no mistake, it is a challenge, it is not a game.

There are a few things from yesterday that are worth commenting on.

I left the house 20 minutes later than I intended because I made my breakfast—two eggs, cheese and a scallion scrambled, served in a whole wheat tortilla, which I ate in the car. While I was not late to Harper, I never felt like I caught up all day.

Parking at Harper was an issue. It always is. That’s why I thought I needed those 20 minutes. I talked a campus police officer into NOT ticketing me because I was speaking. But that seemed not quite right. (I parked in a staff lot beyond the guest lot which was full)

The coffee that people were drinking looked excellent. Well, actually I didn’t see the coffee just the cups. I’m going to have to rethink Starbucks.

My appointment after Harper was late. 45 minutes. Even though I had tangerines with me, this put me at a house disadvantage for the rest of the day. I did actually “cheat” meeting her at yet another coffee shop because it was closer to where I was going to have to be and ordering an apple fritter which I think the manager discounted it calling it the SNAP discount–$1.75 which actually fits in my remaining food budget. Real people living on SNAP all the time must also get caught in these scheduling “nightmares.””

Thank G-d for my husband, Simon, who is a willing partner and a really good cook. He brought me the lunch I had carefully planned out, cottage cheese and chopped vegetables. He threw in a little box of raisins we had around the house and I “stole” potato chips from the Hebrew School. Later even though I said I would make corn chowder, he turned a cheap cut of meat into Chinese stir fry and rice. Again, it was a timing question.

I got lost in time when WindyCityLive called and wanted to do a feature on me. As many times as I say this challenge is not about me, it is about awareness and advocacy, people are intrigued by what I could possibly eat for $4.44. So I will be traipsing into Chicago to tape a segment. That meant finding pictures and getting out the seder plates.

Hebrew School. These late afternoons are the hardest. It is hard to teach when you are hungry. And really, I am not really hungry. But why then do I have a headache? Yes, late afternoon hot chocolate seems to help. At least temporarily—and we didn’t really plan for that. And yet, we had some in the house and in my office.

I have a colleague, Rabbi Cindy Enger, who opted not do the SNAP Challenge this time. Her approach instead as she prepares for Passover is a Zero Waste Passover. I know that my New Year’s Resolution was to waste far less food then we do. Most Americans waste a lot of food. 70 billion pounds of food in America, according to Feeding America. That’s 70 billion! Like Rabbi Enger, and many other Jews, I try to use up open packaged food before Passover. This year, with the SNAP Challenge I am even more aware (and more committed to Zero Waste. Really, remember the open containers of olives in my fridge? There were actually six. Two black olives, 2 Spanish olives. One green olives stuffed with blue cheese. One kalamata.) We have finished one, a jar of raspberry jam, the last of the soy sauce and a container of SmartBalance.)

I am also not spending money on other things. For instance, this morning, I opted to take the train into Chicago. Paying to park (again, thanks to my husband, because I could not figure out how that machine works and I am hoping my credit card did not get debited seven times!) and walking from Union Station to the television studio. On SNAP I couldn’t have afforded a cab!

When I emerged from the train I was immediately approached by someone who hoped I would help him buy a sandwich. I explained I couldn’t. I did pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the trip home that I might have given him but after yesterday I was worried I would be short—and I did in fact eat it on the way home. So many people, so many very hungry. Am I helping any of them? Should I have given my sandwich away to someone who really needed it?

Similarly, one of my non-food rewards is a massage. After running a race on Sunday, that might have been nice Tuesday. But no massage on SNAP.

And while I walked from Union Station to State and Lake, I am not getting the same amount of exercise I got last week even. Again, I think it is the constant focus on food and timing. I am hopeful that I can today. Maybe today…

It really bothers me that people are so interested in can I make it on the SNAP Challenge. Perhaps it does make a good human interest story. Perhaps it does raise awareness. But it is not so important: What am I eating? Is it enough? Are you hungry? Can I give you food? This story was not supposed to be about me.

It is supposed to be about the hard work that many people do on the front lines, day in and day out. Gretchen, Maureen, Kerri, Ruth, Kim, Michelle, Debbie, Amit and Judith and David. The ones who work tirelessly to make sure that people do have enough food. That smile. That offer compassion. That work for the systemic changes necessary. So, so many, too many to name them all.

And the real story is that people have to do this day in and day out. And SNAP benefits alone often don’t cut it. People who are on SNAP often have to scrounge for food and other necessities in other places. They rely on food banks, the Community Crisis Center, Food for Greater Elgin, Salvation Army, Red Cross, United Way, individual churches and synagogues, soup kettles and all the volunteers who serve.