Dig into your wallet, find seven quarters and lay them out in front of you.
You probably have enough to buy a small snack - maybe a fruity energy drink, a muffin or a chocolate bar.
But not all three at once.
And certainly not enough for a full meal, let alone an entire day's worth of food.
But that's just what people are being encouraged to do next week, April 28 to May 2, as part of the Below the Line Challenge: to spend less than $1.75 all day long for their food.
Part of the Micronutrient Initiative, the effort - which is running in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. simultaneously - is aimed at raising both awareness and funds for extreme poverty.
Though many Canadians have a hard time imagining getting through breakfast for under $2, never mind the rest of the day, that's just what billions around the world do every day. In fact, their situation is even more challenging: the $1.75 limit set for Canadian particpants ($1.25 in the U.S.) equates to about how much those in poverty live on daily for not just food but also shelter, clothing, medical and other costs.
And, before anyone points out that $1.75 Canadian a day might be able to buy a lot more in some far-off place, the amount was calculated using something called the purchasing power parity to keep the concept relative.
In other words, the $1.75 represents a relative quantity of spending money.
It's an extreme challenge - some would argue impossible - and that's the point.
If we can't do it, how can anyone anywhere?
The truth is that poverty is a global issue - one that affects people right here in our city, and on the other side of the planet. Understanding the experience of poverty, even temporarily, may be a first step in shifting our priorities - and without that shift, nothing will ever change.
To find out more, see www.livebelow
theline.ca - and then dig into the change jar and start figuring out how to make those seven quarters last you all day long.
