Ben Affleck, who is fresh off an Oscar win for his film “Argo”, is taking the buzz surrounding his name to a good place: raising awareness about poverty and the harsh choices some have to make when it comes to every day living.
Affleck has decided to take the Live Below The Line challenge and live on just $1.50 a day for a week in order to highlight the extremes of living at the extreme poverty line. Many celebrities have joined the cause, and Affleck will be tweeting about his experiences during the week to raise awareness and funds for The Global Poverty Project.
“Last year we had over 15,000 people participate, and raised over $3 million,” Michael Trainer, Director of The Global Poverty Project, said in a statement. “We’re excited to leverage the support The Global Poverty Project has received from the campaign last year, and the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park.”
New Jersey mayor Cory Booker took a similar challenge last year when he lived on only food stamps for one week to highlight how difficult it is for families who receive government funds to feed their families on what that assistance provides…especially in New Jersey, where the cost of living is high. The SNAP Challenge was initiated after a woman began a Twitter conversation with Booker regarding food stamps and whether they were really necessary.
Affleck is reportedly due to start his challenge next week along with actress Debi Mazar, singer Josh Groban, and Sophia Bush.