Hunger for knowledge

Adrianne Saba started dreaming about food.

When she fell asleep, her subconscious turned to thoughts of steaks, Starbucks and salads - three of the things she swore off for a week.

It wasn't for a new diet, though. It was for school credit. Ms. Saba, 21, was among two dozen Anne Arundel Community College students who participated in an exercise called a Hunger Stress Test.

As part of the project, they had to live on $5 a day, or $35 for an entire week - the maximum amount of money one person would get under the food stamp program in Maryland, according to Associate Professor of Human Services Beth Potter, who...