Swallow Your Pride

My research examines the sparse resources and various barriers (including shame and the need to “swallow your pride” to access stigmatized resources) that make up the eating experience for persons experiencing homelessness. The meal in this image was prepared using only the cooking tools available in Schroeder Hall Commons, donations from the “Blessing Box” at Normal First United Methodist Church, SNAP-eligible food from the CVS on Fell St. with a budget of $6.53 (average SNAP benefit per person in Illinois divided by 30 days), and a can opener. These conditions represent the food resources and barriers that an unhoused student without a car might experience. Consistent with my research, the lack of choices at the food pantry, small budget at an expensive convenience store, limited cooking tools in the commons, and the shame of obtaining ingredients for and preparing this meal in front of other students made eating difficult.