thanks

My thanks to everyone who made this event possible.
A couple final reflections:

• the Food Bank does an amazing job caring for people and helping them out with what they have.
• If the Food Bank had healthier food they would offer that to people, so I came away thinking how can I and everyone else donate healthier foods?
• Yes we cannot let the government off the hook to care for people.
• Can we also link with farmers here in our area to get fresh veggies and fruits?
• As I reflected over thanksgiving on this my compassion has increased 100% for folks out there living live this.
• I recommend everyone do the challenge once a year. It will keep us humble and caring for those facing difficulties in life.

We have an amazing community here, together lets keep working on this!

Thank you

Thanks to all the participants in the "Do the Math" Challenge Cambridge. Your posts over the past week have been candid and insightful. We hope this experiment has shed light on the food insecurity that many in our community experience regularily, and can be an important step in addressing the issue of poverty in our community.

-The Do the Math Planning Committee



Be sure to check out the following media coverage:


"Food Hamper Takes Toll", The Cambridge Times


"Eating only from an emergency food hamper an eye-opener — when I could keep my eyes open", The Record

Wrap-up Refections

Today the participants met to wrap-up the challenge and share there experiences from the week. Here are some of their reflections:

 “Wake up call” 

“Your choice was taken away”

“What are [the kids] going to have for lunch tomorrow?”

“To go through a week was not a problem for me but I have a wife who is pregnant and a little fellow. I wouldn’t want them to have to live off the hamper I got. As a family it wouldn’t cut it.”

“Survival’s not good enough” 

“There is a hidden society”

“It took a lot of planning. The first thing I did was put the food on the counter and took a pen and paper and strategized.”

“I was encouraged by staff at the food bank who helped me pick out food and told me how to stretch it”

“You don’t have enough calories or sustenance to be active”

Tony: Day 4

Day 4: Thursday Oct.7. 

Well another day of work lies ahead and my morning routine seems to carry on as usual . More coffee but this morning I finish off the rest of my fruit cocktale and eat a cereal bar that was in my hamper .Today lunch hour finds me home so I open up my can of vegetable soup and have a few more crackers . I have to say that for a temporary period of time my food hamper is serving me just fine . I will however say that I am missing chicken , but I really don't know if its a need or just a want .I have protein available in my can of tuna that I have yet to open . This evening I took my wife and little guy to Hespeler Baptist Church where we were treated to a wonderful dinner of roast beef , potatoes , carotts , onions and gravy . Before this we had a vegetable beef soup .We actually had ice cream and a choice of apple or pumpkin pie ! This meal was fantastic but what stood out to me the most proved to be a human element . As soon as I walked in the door with my wife and son we were greeted with the most warmest of smiles . We were shown where we could be seated , the play area for our little guy , and what time dinner was going to be served .I had an opportunity to talk to a mom with her two little girls and to people on both sides of me . Talk was about weather , children , and how good the food was ! As dinner began to wind down I experianced first hand the compassion of people as I had two different people ( not volunteers) approach me to tell me where dinner was being served next Thursday and that they hoped to see us again .I never got into any details , and thanked them very much . As I have said earlier , for a single guy my hamper would certainly hold me over . For a family , unless the contents are different , not a chance that I would want to keep them going on it .I would have to definately make use of the drops ins to supplement . I look forward to meeting everyone tomorrow and to listening to their experiances .

Tony Campbell

Today started like yesterday, with a small serving of oatmeal. Lunch was leftover spaghetti from yesterday (plain sauce, no meat or cheese or veggies, but not too bad). Supper tonight was creamed tuna (margarine, flour, water, skim milk power, and tuna) on toasted bun (they're stale, but toasting still works...).

I miss dairy (cheese!), unprocessed meat, eggs, and fresh vegetables. I haven't eaten any green vegetables this week; one of my sisters is a clinical dietician, and I'm worried she might have words with me. :)

So, some reflections before wrapping-up tomorrow:

1. I have been hungry, I have missed certain foods, I'm a little cranky, and my concentration and energy are low. And yet, I'm complaining from a pretty comfortable place in life. My partner and I own a house; we both have university that allowed us to apply for and get full-time jobs, we have two cars, a usual week involves a bottle of wine with a dinner or two, and even though I couldn't buy myself a coffee today, I did drop by the dry-cleaners after work. Take away these privileges, and life would be a lot harder than I've experienced during the "do the math challenge." If I didn't have the opportunity of univeristy and couldn't afford the clothes for the job interview, or was hit with some of life's hardest twists and didn't have a great family and spouse behind me, and on top of it, if I was feeling hungry...I would hope for the support and the hand-up of a good community.
2. I sometimes hear comments that people who receive social assistance or food hampers are lazy and taking advantage of "the system." ...the message implied is that assistance is a "comfortable" or "desireable" choice. This is simply not true. In my opinion, if assistance is the "comfortable" choice, I sure as heck don't want to know what the other options were.
3. I've re-read this, and yes, definitely a little more cranky than usual today. :)

Jean: Day 4

Day 4 noon

Today had its wins. I had 2 meetings with FOOD involved. Last night at a group I was told that meeting food was fair game so despite enormous food guilt I had 2 pieces of fruit and a coffee. And cheese: a food I eat usually a lot but not in this hamper. What do adults do for calcium ? I had no interest in the carbs not surprisingly.

Breakfast was great: a coffee and a carrot Tim muffin. Midmorning I was hungry however and felt that upper abdominal tight growly feeling. Mildly uncomfortable. Lunch was another meeting so I got carrot soup and an apple. I donated some of my ciabatta roll stash to this lunch but i Still have 8 of them left and I worry about them going stale or moldy. I dont want to waste them. If I had eggs or milk I could make French Toast or bread pudding. Am I more food focussed than usual? I think I am. Supper will be the rest of my ratatouille and rice. I am considering opening the corn but I am wondering if I can make corn fritters without egg. I have not used any sugar yet so I could try and find a recipe.

This week I am definitely more hungry. I am faced with foods that challenge my recipe routines and still have to make time for meetings, work, family. Fortunately I am not having to cook for a bunch of other people too.

I cant be at the lunch tomorrow. I work until noon. Maybe I can be there by 12:30 and just listen. I have food to return...

Jean Skillman

Potluck Lunch

I'm sitting in my office avoiding the potluck luncheon for all staff. I can't attend. What would I make to bring? In real life, I would make up an excuse, but in this simulation game, I can just explain to a few people and hope in these hard financial times we can all be thankful for our jobs - even if you don't love it.
We often have potluck dinners for participants in my programs. sometimes people bring a box of timbits or a bag of cookies. its not necessarily because they don't want to contribute, it may be that they just cannot afford to bring anything and its just too embarrassing to admit that.
This is humbling. I don't have many choices. We had to make kraft dinner last night so the four of us could all have kraft dinner for lunch. There was nothing else - well margarine on a bun but I chose the kraft dinner. I have to hand it to the food bank. they give you as much choice as they can. It helps maintain some dignity.
I can't go in that room and look at all the wonderful dishes hand-made by my colleagues and drool. I can't attend a potluck without bringing something. Everyone wants to be the one who gets asked for a recipe. so I'll sit here at my desk, and eat my kraft dinner.

Update from Steve

What an amazing week. New experiences, new friends and hopefully a new heart. I was blessed today to have lunch at Trinity Anglican, what a huge blessing those dear folks are. Awesome to meet an old high school acquaintance there. How can I and the people of Forward help great guys like this. Tonight at the Bridges was a time of deep reflecton. Decided not to eat. that would have made this to easy. Came home and made my mac with sauce. Humbled and hopeful.

Steve Adams

Forward Baptist Church

Jeff: Day 3

Last night (and leftovers today) is Kraft dinner. Alas, another meal I have not “enjoyed” for 35 years.

My wife was kind enough to lend me a teaspoon of ketchup (I hope that doesn’t break the rules), but I could not enjoy the cheesy surprise without a little red.
My wife is not involved in my hamper challenge, but she is challenging me just the same.
While watching TV last night, I heard a strange crinkling sound. She was trying to sneak a potato chip while I sat less that eight feet away. That hurt. Then she had the nerve to try to consume an all-sort candy.

But I was brave. Give me a day-old bun and my trusty peanut butter and I’m good to go.
I better start eating my canned fruit or I could be in trouble after all those carbs.
One more day to go.

Jeff Hurst

Tony: Day 3

Day 3: Wednesday Oct. 6

I found myself in a hurry this morning to make an appointment , so it was a cup of coffee and gone through the door . Had intentions of eating breakfast but kind of slept in . I did however make it over to the Rotary Haus celebration at the Cambridge Centre for a free Octoberfest sausage ( as per Pat's instruction ) and to volunteer to help move a few grand-stands . I finally was home this evening in time to sit down and have dinner with my family . I made two sandwiches from the packs of ham that was in my hamper and opened up a can of beans  . I never had any of my tomato juice tonight , instead just water . As the days move forward I have now had a shift in mind set . On Monday I wondered if I could make it through the five days on my food hamper , now  I know I can . I may not have the choices that I really want , but in looking into our pantry at home , I'm seeing much of the  same canned goods , pasta , cereal , and rice that was in my hamper . I grew up on powdered milk , ( or white water , as someone referred to it as , lol ) and when I trained that was all anyone used , due to controlling fat intake . However , remember that I am eating out of my hamper as a single 44 year old working class fellow . As I enjoyed dinner with my wife and little boy , who will soon to be two , I did ask myself how I would feel about having to serve the contents of my hamper to sustain them .Now its a little cloudy ! Is there a hamper more specific to my families needs ? In my case for excample , I have a two year old son and a wife who is 7 months pregnant . If I found myself on hard times ,  could I get diapers , could I get a roast of beef , some potatoes , maybe some chicken . Now I'm thinking much harder because unlike the single adult , now there is a toddler whos needs are much greater than my own . I can't get up in the morning and give him a coffee untill noon hour ! My wife being pregnant represents a whole new set of nutritional needs . I thought about having to pack up my family and take them to one of the drop ins . Well tonight my little guy is sick ( one of this mornings appointments ) and what if I don't have a car . As a matter of fact what if I work an afternoon shift , do I expect my pregnant wife to get the little guy on a bus to head down for dinner ? I know these are just a few examples of what families face on an ongoing bases . The answers would come pretty easy to me but I can see how for others it would present a challenge .I am taking my family to Hespeler Baptist Church tomorrow for dinner at 5:30 , I will let you know how a family of three , soon to be four , makes out !

Tony Campbell

Jean: Day 3

This is day 3.  I have a lot of food which I don't think I am going to eat.  I had a meeting today and only had apple juice as I have a can of that in my bag.  That was hard but not as hard as being hungry in the late afternoon.  I had peanut butter for lunch out of the jar as I had not brought my bread, and a quarter of a green pepper, which I had scored along with an eggplant.  Dinners this week are pasta sauce with eggplant and rice.  Oh, I ate my pineapple last night and at lunch to day. This food does not last in the body and I am sure any diabetics would have a hard time with their blood sugars. So many carbs, so little vegetable and fruit.  No eggs, no yoghurt.  The skim milk is fine by me however.  I have a can of spaghetti for Friday and lentil soup for tomorrow.  I still have 12 ciabatta rolls.  Not going to finish those.  I have a lovely box of granola for breakfast and snacks.  The complete randomness of what the hamper contains is interesting to observe from all the posts. 

Jean Skillman

Dinner Date

I am so glad I work at a place that supports low income people! Once a week I teach a course at the YMCA for marginalized people. Part of the formula is to offer dinner - for free - to all participants. I never have appreciated it so much. I started thanking God yesterday for what I knew I would get to eat tonight! I knew it would be fresh vegetables, and meat and plenty of it.
Some participants also bring their children to the course and the Y provides free childcare. so at least one adult and their children get free dinner once a week. some people pile their plates high with food every week, and take home the rest. I have a new appreciation of why.

Powdered Milk: part 2

I had Alphagetti today for the first time in 35 years. I don’t remember it being so sweet.
After arriving home from a meeting Tuesday night at 9 p.m. and automatically went for a snack. No can do. It was either a granola bar or maybe some Triscuits, but I wanted to save the granola bar for Wednesday at work.
Decisions, decisions.

Thursday morning is my first attempt with powdered milk.
I’ll try to be brave.
Wish me luck.

Jeff Hurst

Breakfast on the run... ...errr, on the hamper.

Starting my second day... My normal morning routine, I’m embarrassed to admit, usually involves breakfast in my car on the way to work: an apple or banana, and a granola bar, and then buying a coffee when I get to work.

This routine does not work when eating from a food hamper. Fresh fruit is hard to come by, and convenience food like pre-packaged granola bars are rare. Instead, it is oatmeal today; a small serving, prepared and eaten at home before leaving. Eating from a hamper definitely takes more time in our convenience and fast-paced lives.

My First Day - picking-up a hamper

I picked up my hamper from the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank the other day; I don't mind saying that I felt a little awkward as I did so. It is really hard to take something like food for free, and feel good about yourself. So, I was really glad for how friendly Sheila from the Food Bank was as she explained how everything worked and guided me through the process.

As I was picking food for my hamper, I was thinking about the need to try to make the food stretch. So, I tried to select food items that could be combined and used to make something like soup, or that would lead to leftovers that could be turned into another meal.

...it wasn’t as easy as it sounds... I tried to keep a running list of ingredients in my head, as one-by-one I picked-out food items from the categories available (such as first picking a can of vegetables from those available, then moving on to pick a cereal, then on to a can of fruit, and so on) based on the instructions Sheila provided as she guided me through the process. Without knowing what was going to be available, I had to try to keep my selections general so that they could end up being the ingredients for meals that I hadn’t planned yet. ...living off of a food hamper means planning ahead is really difficult. ...at the same time, I was glad for the choices that I could make: a can of creamed corn or a can of green beans...I went with the corn because it seemed the lesser of two evils and like it might be something to combine with something else to make soup.

...and as it turned out, dinner last night was soup, made from one can of creamed corn, a cup of rice, some water, and a few chopped carrots (I was lucky to get a bag of fresh carrots...jackpot!).

Kevin's Article

Check out Kevin Swayze's article in the Record here.

Rob's First Post

(This should have posted before the previous post from Rob- Sorry! ) - Admin

Yesterday when I went to the food bank the wonderful volunteer who assisted me as a pleasure to meet;

Friendly, helpful and gave me tips on how to stretch my food further.

The Food bank have an amazing staff. 

So I now watch people with food thinking I’m hungry which I’m probably not.

I even hope some people carrying large bags of food would trip on the sidewalk so I could grab their food as it scattered.

But I’m a pastor so I shouldn’t think these thoughts.

I saw dandelions in my lawn, I thought there is food for a salad, but as I picked a green and ate it, it was even more bitter than the dandelion salads I remember mom serving us.

Okay enough blogging, I’m getting blogged down.

Rob Heintz

Dave's blog

Check out Dave Smith's thoughts on the "Do the Math" Challenge at his blog here, under the media tab.

Here is an excerpt:
Day #2 is tougher than Day #1.  Breakfast consisted of some crackers, a few apple slices and peanut butter. I had a quick workout this afternoon and folowed it up with a ham sandwich. I feel tired and weak.This diet consists of approx. 80% carbs, which is a huge increase from what I'm used to. It makes me feel sluggish and I have a tough time concentrating.  Doing this daily would kill my exercise routine and my mental focus!

Jeff's Update

Day One:
I skipped breakfast because I just wasn’t quite ready to mix up some powdered milk. Bad memories from my early years when my mother would try to trick us into drinking powdered milk.
“Oh, it tastes almost the same as real milk,” she would tell us.
But we all knew it tasted like white water.
Today’s intake will consist of a can of beans for lunch (I’ve already apologized to my co-workers) and day old bread with peanut butter. I also have a small container of canned fruit and a granola bar.

Day one and I’m already getting canned out.

Jeff Hurst

Some thoughts from Tony

Day 1: Monday Oct. 4

My morning begins as usual with a cup of coffee and the answering of e-mail both personal and business . Depending on the days work load, once I leave my house , I may or may not eat lunch . If I do , it typically is at one of Cambridge's restaurants close to where my business of the day takes me . Today happened to be one of those days where lunch took a back seat to the business at hand .

I met with the wonderful staff of the Cambridge food bank at approximately 4:10 pm ( after my stomach reminded me it was close to dinner time and if I wanted to eat this week I better pick up my food hamper ) then proceeded home to cook my dinner .

While taking my food out of the bags, I recalled the process of being asked to select which cans of food I would like and how many of each I was allowed to have . I found that instinct quickly took me from comfort food thought to a thought that " you better chose wisely, this has to sustain you for five days ! " I wondered  if anyone else had that thought , as I chose what to have for day 1 dinner.

Irish stew, a glass of tomato juice, two peices of my bread stick ( I rationed it out over my five days ) and some peanut butter and crackers. Not my usual plateful but I have to say after a full day of not eating it was well appreciated . I normally do not eat breakfast but will start tomorrow morning knowing that my eating habits have now changed. My hamper included some breakfast cereal and powdered milk. Boy talk about strategic planning ! I thought it would be interesting to weigh myself at the beginning and end of the five days.

 Tony with the contents of his hamper

Tony "before" the challenge

Day 2: Tuesday Oct. 5

Today most of my work took place from my home office . The cereal and powdered milk which I intended to have , just didn't seem paletable for breakfast so I resorted to my usual couple of cups of coffee followed up with the crackers and peanut butter that was in my hamper . As lunch time approached I chose to just open and eat one package of my ham  along with some fruit cocktale , I never used any of my bread stick because I cut it into enough pieces to last me for five dinners , Monday through Friday . Working from home seemed to present its own set of challenges in that you are free to munch on whatever you have available . The flip side is that what you have available has to last you and it really is not a treat or a munching kind of food . After making a sheduled appointment , I returned home to cook my dinner . Tonight , Kraft dinner , more peanut butter and crackers , fruit cocktale and a glass of tomato juice . I now realize that my bread stick is not going to last the next three days . I wraped it up well but it was getting hard . Reminds me of growing up and complaining the bread was hard , only to hear that  "it would be a lot harder if you had none". All jokes aside its a day past its best before date so I figure I am done with it come tomorrow . Despite the lack of choice , I must say that I am not yet feeling discouraged or hungry , but I know there is still three more days to go !

Tony Campbell

Participant Profiles

Meet the people participating in the Challenge this week.

Name:  Tony Campbell

Occupation/Position: Self employed/Franklin Self Storage,Store All

Favourite food: Thai  food

Guiltiest food pleasure: Thai food

Family size: Three , and soon to be four ! However it will only be myself participating in the Do the Math Challenge .

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: Approximately $150.00

Why you are participating in this project: I am participating in this project so that I may , to the best of my ability , give the Cambridge Poverty Reduction Roundtable and the Planning Committee a true picture of my experience with eating  from a food bank hamper for Five days .

Why is this issue important to you?:  This issue is important to me as I believe that nourishing  food is a necessity for the health and well being of all members of our community .

Name:  Rob Heintz

Occupation/Position:  Pastor of Cambridge Community Church

Favourite food: Anything Italian

Guiltiest food pleasure:  Triple espressos on ice

Family size: 2 adults

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $100

Why you are participating in this project:

I want to be able to understand the journey those who do not have enough food go through.  People have things to teach us which help us become better people. If I can understand the struggles others go though I can respond in a better way to help them out. I can also better empathize with them.

Why is this issue important to you?:

• I love people and want to help them help themselves. I also want to stand up for them as a voice to the connections and circles I am involved in.
•  It’s also what God calls us to do: to respect, protect and care for the poor, the vulnerable and all those with social needs; with the hope that meeting these needs will lead them toward social and spiritual transformation.

Name:  Kevin Swayze       

Occupation/Position: Newspaper Reporter

Favourite food:  Fresh picked asparagus smothered with butter

Guiltiest food pleasure: Semi-sweet chocolate chunks dipped in chunky peanut butter, served with gourmet vanilla ice cream.

Family size: four

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $130

Why you are participating in this project: To learn about what I write about – and to educate my children about the world around them. One of my children, Theresa, 12, is joining me in the project.

Why is this issue important to you?:  People too often vilify the poor, blaming them for circumstances they don’t always have control over.  I’m pretty sure most people don’t enjoy going to the food bank to ask for their next meal, so I’m happy to help spread a little bit of reality to people with two cars in the garage.

Name:   Debra Brown

Occupation/Position:  Director, Community Relations, YMCA

Favourite food: chocolate

Guiltiest food pleasure:  double chocolate

Family size:  4

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week:  $300

Why you are participating in this project:

I was a single mom on social assistance. I know what it was like to raise a son with next to nothing.  I want others to know that people like me that were on social assistance can get off of it and give back, and most do!

Why is this issue important to you?:

I think people on social assistance have sometimes been portrayed as lazy people who don’t want to work, and as wanting to be on social assistance.  This sentiment continues to permeate society as a leftover from the Harris government.  I believe these stereotypes and assumptions need to be challenged. 

Name:  Doug Craig

Occupation/Position: Mayor

Favourite food: Pizza

Guiltiest food pleasure: Ice Cream, Good & Plenty candies

Family size: 2

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $200

Why you are participating in this project: To support the Food Bank

Why is this issue important to you?:  Its important to get a grassroots understanding of what some famlies are experiencing

Name: Kris Cummings

Occupation/Position: Funder

Favourite food:  a good stir fry with sticky rice

Guiltiest food pleasure:  that would be pie (specifically my grandmother’s!)

Family size: two

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $100

Why you are participating in this project: To have the experience of eating for a week from food assistance, to help illustrate the experience to others.  I think that, as a society, the more that we can understand each others’ experiences, the better we’ll be at supporting each other when we need – and we all need help at some point.

Why is this issue important to you?:   I grew up in a family that, although stable and comfortable, definitely had to do a fair bit of “making-do.”  Being worried about making ends meet added a lot of stress to our lives.  I work in the not-for-profit community service sector, and many of the services I have been involved with support families and individuals who are living in far tougher circumstances than I’ve ever experienced, as well as others who need some support and opportunity to achieve better circumstances for the long run.  The bottom line is that I believe in community with members who support one-another during hard times, and help each other, through the short or long-term, to build a good life. 

Name: Dave Smith

Occupation/Position: Personal Trainer, High School Business Teacher

Favourite food: Steak (medium rare, preferably with a side of asparagus)

Guiltiest food pleasure: Pizza!

Family size: 2

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $150

Why you are participating in this project: I think it will be an eye-opener (for me and anyone who learns about it).  I am quite particular when it comes to diet, therefore have become used to spending a lot of money on food without even thinking twice.  Hopefully this program will be a reality check: Not everyone has the luxury of buying whatever they want at the grocery store. Maybe there are ways for people like myself to help this situation.

Why is this issue important to you? I run a fitness business and therefore spend a lot of time thinking/learning about nutrition and proper dieting.  So many people have the means to eat a healthy diet but choose not to, while others would likely love to be able to eat healthy foods regularly without breaking their budgets.  I suspect that these people who depend on food banks/food hampers are missing out on key components of a proper diet - I'd like to see if this is the case and then learn how I can help ensure that their nutritional needs are being met in the future.

Name:  Steve Adams

Occupation/Position: Pastor

Favourite food: Good Hamburger

Guiltiest food pleasure: Cheese Cake

Family size: 5

Estimate of how much you and your family spend on food per week: $130

Why you are participating in this project: To gain a greater understanding

Why is this issue important to you?:  One purpose of our church is to bless other people

Day 3

Today is my Wife's Brithday.
i guess i'm excused from buying her a gift as my food bank Budget will not allow that.
On the other hand i will never get out of the doghouse if I don't.
i don't think a bag of crackers with a bow on them will cut it. (help)

My Brain is beginning to feel like sludge, many of you have suspected that already.
i think it is lack of fresh veggies, eggs, milk and proteen plus all the extra preservatives and salts i'm not used to eating.

I was tempeted to make a dandelion salad from the dandelions in the lawn, but the leaves were to bitter. I also have lingering nightmares over my mom's salads she tried to serve us as kids.

the math is adding up; fresh veggies + fruits = more productive, positive people including me.

Hungry in Cambridge

My husband is irritable. I think he needs meat.
My daughter has a head cold and is convinced that it is a result of her not eating enough. She didn't want the crackers as her snack last night so she didn't eat anything. This picky eating has got to go!
I ate expired meat today and survived to tell you about it.
We managed to make pasta with salmon cream sauce for dinner (that makes cream of mushroom soup and canned salmon sound fancy :)

So far, the family is talking about it:
My 17 year old says "This sucks. I'm hungry."
My husband says "thats all the food we get for four of us for a week? we usually eat that in one day!"
My nine year old says "What do you mean I can only have one package of oatmeal for breakfast? I always have two."
I say "now kids, what are we learning?" while my stomach growls and my bones crack from the lack of milk.

List of Participants

Jean Skillman (Family Physician)
Kris Cummings (United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries)
Jeff Hurst (Cambridge Times Newspaper)
Steve Adams (Forward Baptist Church)
Mayor Doug Craig
Tony Campbell (Franklin Storage)
Kevin Swayze (The Waterloo Region Record Newspaper)
Rob Heinz (Cambridge Community Church)
Debra Brown (YMCA of Cambridge)
Dave Smith (Galt Collegiate Institute)

Dr. Liana Nolan (Medical Officer of Health for the Region or Waterloo) will provide a statement

Members of Cambridge Community Church are also following a diet of a typical food hamper for the week.


Thanks to all those participating!