Live Below the Line major challenge week is over, but that does not mean the effort to raise money and understanding of extreme poverty has come to a close. In fact, you can still take on the challenge from now until the end of June. If you take on the challenge, your efforts can add to the hundreds of thousands of dollars (US and Canadian) and pounds (British!)  raised for great causes. If you're up for the challenge head to https://www.livebelowtheline.com/ and sign up. 

If you need inspiration to take on the challenge, here is a repost of the Live Below the Line challenge through the eyes of Gotham star and all around amazing human being Erin Richards (seriously, she's awesome). Highlights of her five days living below the line are in the video at the top (edited by Erin Richards-she's not just an actress folks) and then you can follow along on her day to day experiences in the videos below. 

Pre-Challenge Meal Prep:

Erin sets up her meals for the week, which includes porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch, banana for a snack, and eggs or pasta for dinner.

“When I accepted this challenge, I saw the menu of what I probably have to eat and I thought  ‘I could probably do that. I think’...now I’ve seen all that, I feel I could eat that in one day, not five days,” she said.

For Erin and her team, they’ll be living off of $7.23 each for the entire week!

Day 1:

On Erin’s first day of the challenge, she realized how much it can consume her. Even if she wasn’t hungry in the moment she kept thinking ‘what if’ she does get hungry and can’t eat. She shares that she can’t imagine living in extreme poverty and experiencing that fear constantly.

Day 2:

On the second day, Erin notes that things become tasteless and the lack of choice is affecting her more. She wishes she could have more greens and variety but she shows her fridge which contains the few bits of food she gets to eat for the week.

She has been taking special care of keeping her bananas fresh. “I realize how much more precious food becomes.”

Day 3:

Today Erin shares that she’s feeling exhausted. She’s filming on the set of her show, Gotham, and doesn’t feel like she’s performing at 100 percent.

“I’m just doing this for a week, not my whole life which is what some people have to endure,” she said.

Day 4:

Folded and put her 4 o’clock banana in her porridge to change it up. But then what will happen when that 4 o’clock hunger hits?

She even put a rubber band over the knobs of her cupboards holding all of the food. She must fight the urge for chocolate!

Day 5:

On her way to the Live Below the Line launch. After the week, she can say that it is such an important message. “People who really live below the poverty line have to choose between feeding their children or feeding themselves,” Erin said.

She urges everyone to try to take on the challenge, no matter how hard it may be Erin says it’s important to spread awareness and donate to such a worthy cause. Even if you can only manage taking on the challenge for a day! It’s all important.

Erin Richards is awesome and she took on the challenge. You can join her, and the many others who have worked to end extreme poverty by taking on the Live Below the Line challenge.

You can still sign up to take the challenge until June 30th at livebelowtheline.com.