Globally, 2.5M children die annually from malnutrition, 66 M children attend school hungry, 15M U.S. children suffer from hunger
Globally, 2.5M children die annually from malnutrition, 66 M children attend school hungry, 15M U.S. children suffer from hunger
Its unacceptable that so many children suffer from hunger, something that could be prevented with some more effort from the community. True hunger is something that is unimaginable for many people. It is heart-wrenching that so many children have to suffer from true hunger. The schools in our community do a lot to help reduce their student’s hunger tremendously with free and reduced lunches and breakfasts. In the fayette county public schools, students that qualify for reduced meals can pay $0.30 for breakfast, $0.40 for lunch, and $0.60 for milk. Students that qualify for free meals can have breakfast and lunch at the school for no cost. This system is pretty great; however, I observed something that was a bit unsettling. One of the schools has a rule that food must stay in the cafeteria and cannot be saved. All leftovers were thrown away. I saw one kindergartner who qualified for free lunch try to hid an apple to take home to be eaten later. The lunch room staff had to make that kindergartner throw away the apple in order to follow the school’s rules. It is great that students that attend public schools in this county will have breakfast and lunch every school day. But do they have food on days school is not in session?
http://www.fcps.net/administration/departments/child-nutrition/prices-and-programs
What if schools brought back breakfast to all students, not just those on the free and reduced lunch? That way, the students that were on free and reduced lunch would not be singled out and it would help get students that really need it the opportunity to eat breakfast.
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) put out some information about offering breakfast free to all school aged children. The brought up some really good points as to why this would benefit the kids:
– the morning is a hectic time for most families and if the school provided breakfast, it would allow more time for kids to eat
– it removes the stigma of free and reduced lunch if all students are encouraged to participate
– many families cannot afford to provide a nutritious breakfast
– studies show that students who eat breakfast at the beginning of the school day do better in math and reading
This sounds like a win-win situation for schools and students. It would give students a great way to start their day and a better chance at being successful in their school day. It also gives students time to socialize while eating and can help jumpstart their learning.
http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/universal_sbp.pdf
The fact that 2.5 million children die annually from malnutrition, 66 million children attend school hungry, and 15 million U.S. children suffer from hunger is appalling. With the majority of United States children in attendance in public schools. One way I believe we can fight hunger is by allowing free breakfast and lunch for all students in attendance. Hunger does not “look” a specific way, and even students who appear wealthy may still be struggling with malnutrition and hunger.
Check out this article. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/france-to-force-big-supermarkets-to-give-away-unsold-food-to-charity France is basically requiring supermarkets to donate unsold food to charity. What about all the leftover food from the school cafeterias? I have worked many hours in the cafeterias on UK campus and have witnessed firsthand how much food is truly wasted. What about the left overs in the public school cafeteria? They are not serving left overs the next day. Why not fix to-go dinners or snacks for students with the days left overs?
This breaks my heart. 1 in 4 children is simply ridiculous. After visiting Millcreek elementary, I found out why some schools send home students with duffle bags of food. Organizations such as God’s Pantry donates food to these schools and then it is likely they are distributed to kids based on income. At Millcreek, Ms. Sundy does a great job of evening the playing field. They want to make sure that every student gets a “snack box” at least once a year.
I believe it is impossible to teach a hungry kid. I can’t even think when I’m hungry. A response earlier said that while they were in school, their school kept their cafeteria open year round. I think that is PURE GENIUS! I just wish there was more expendable funding.
It’s also important to take a look at the Mckinney-Veto act. I believe this is a step in the right direction to aid homelessness in schools.
http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/AssistanceAct.aspx
Hunger – Victoria Johnson EDC 601
Childhood hunger is a global issue. I thought I knew almost everything that there was to know about childhood hunger and it’s affects on the youth. I thought I knew just about everything based on the circumstances in which I was raised in and later teaching in a Kentucky high school. Thankfully, there were programs set up, via the government, that ensured that I would not stay hungry for too long, during the school days. Programs that my family utilized. I thought I understood almost everything that I needed to know about childhood hunger until I started traveling the world.
The Philippines was the first country where I saw childhood hunger like I had never seen it before. There were children, who should’ve been in school, in my opinion, out on the streets begging for food and money.
I remember one encounter so clearly: My friend and I had just landed in Bohol, Philippines and it was very early in the morning. Our tour guide picked us up from the airport to start a day of touring before settling into our hotel. We were hungry and asked him to stop by a restaurant, quickly, so we could grab a bite. The only thing open was McDonalds, at that time, so to McDonalds we went. After getting my food, I went to the car to wait for my friend, and to begin eating. As I ate, 3 children, under the age of 10, came and started banging on one of the vehicle’s windows. They were gesturing the universal eating sign. They’re clothes were torn with dirt on them. Several of the children had rotting teeth. They were frail. I reached for my wallet as I planned to get out of the car and buy them food at McDonalds. As I did so, the driver started screaming at me. Telling me not to give them anything. Not to help them. That they were the reason why tourism is low. And, he just continued on. My friend returned to the car, during this exchange and also advised me not to give the children anything, because it could be taken by their pimps, and that we would go to a reputable donation center, later in the day, and donate money.
Many of the children in the Phillipines, who face hunger, also face pimps. Individuals who put them out in the streets to beg for money. I was told by several Filipinos, that at the end of the day, the money is taken from the children and they are given little to no food as a way to maintain their frail frames. Some face the possibility of never attending school. Others face issues of going to school hungry.
There are organizations fighting against this, but it is an uphill battle. Organizations are in place, in the Philippines, that offer school lunches and who also distribute food to families.
Below you will find several links where you can find out more about childhood hunger in the Philippines.
Philippines statistics: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/philippines_statistics.htmlFight childhood hunger in the Philippines: http://www.wfp.org/countries/philippines
On a month long trip to India, childhood hunger was evident on many streets we turned down and many blocks that we walked. There were children begging for food. In the streets, there were mothers walking, with their children in their hands, banging on car windows, begging for money to buy formula for their malnourished infants and toddlers. There were families, with small children, living on medians that separated one lane from the next. The country of India is trying to get a grip on childhood hunger, but it is a constant uphill battle. Many organizations have stepped in and set up both school lunch programs as well as distributing food on the streets to hungry children. The government of India has set up a 5 year plan (2013 – 2015) which includes fighting hunger.
Below you will find several links where you can find out more about childhood hunger in India.
India statistics: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html
Fight childhood hunger in India: http://www.wfp.org/countries/india
Teaching hungry kids is not the issue. These students are facing far more concerns than just whether they will eat or not and where it will come from. Children that live in poverty are faced with hunger, fear, lack of clean clothing, taking a shower, having a responsible adult nearby, and so much more. If the issue were simply about hunger, the school could provide a way to feed these children. But the issue is not simply hunger. Hunger is just one aspect of the poverty faced in our country while society also demands that those in poverty “keep up” with the rest of us. Welfare aid can only alleviate so many wants and needs, but it does not address the issue that causes a need for so many to need welfare.
I totally agree that hunger is not the issue, but it is a big part. I believe that schools tend to focus on hunger more than the other aspects of poverty because hunger is something we can do easily that produces immediate results. A child comes to school hungry, we feed them and they are no longer hungry for the time being. However, a teacher or school can not help every student who lives in poverty – it would be nearly impossible. Schools and teachers understand this and I feel this is why we focus on hunger so much. We can’t change their living situation, but we can make them more comfortable at school.
On another note – Do you all feel public schools should provide free meals to all students year round to prevent children going hungry? My school district kept their cafeteria open year round ( open over all breaks) for children to come get a free lunch. This helps prevent students going hungry when school is out. Should all districts do this?
This article highlights the “No Kid Hungry” Campaign, which is stationed in the state of Kentucky. This Campaign attempts to end childhood hunger in Kentucky and all across America by ensuring that all children get the healthy food they need, every day. According to the article, “The No Kid Hungry” Campaign connects kids (in need) to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals, while also teaching low-income families how to cook healthy, affordable meals at home. The article offers specific data and statistics focusing on childhood hunger in Kentucky such as: 22% of children in Kentucky struggle with hunger; and 352,000 low-income children in Kentucky receive free or reduced lunch. Finally, the article concludes by offering real-life stories of children impacted by the “No Kid Hungry” Campaign, as well as a discussion on the impact that the campaign has had on the state of Kentucky as a whole. Overall, very insightful and a great read.
http://www.nokidhungry.org/pdfs/NoKidHungryKENTUCKY_June2013.pdf
This website provides an overview of the World Food Program which is dedicated to fighting childhood hunger worldwide. Its mission statement is “As the largest humanitarian provider of school meals worldwide, WFP, with governments and partners, supports education, reduces malnutrition, and promotes development, especially during times of crisis and emergency.” This website offers an overview of the program and its work, defines what is meant by “school feeding,” explains the benefits of school feeding, and discusses a list of partners who support the idea of offering school meals to students. Overall, this website is a great tool to learn more about childhood hunger worldwide, and to provide suggestions on how community members and educators can get involved in order to ensure that no student goes hungry.
http://www.wfp.org/school-meals
The 1 in 5 has now increased to 1 in 4. There use to be breakfast programs. Many teachers didn’t like the fact that these programs took away from class time. Some felt that if kids needed breakfast they should come 1/2 hour early so they don’t miss classes. Also, some thought the foods were unappetizing so kids threw the food away. As far as snacks go, can we find healthy snacks that kids will eat?
On another note, here in Lexington, some schools, send kids home with duffle bags of food (snacks, breakfast, lunch) every week. Eligibility depends on income (free/reduced lunch). What are your thoughts. Is there a better way? Another question is: If a parent works a full time job and often 2 jobs, why should they still now have enough income to feed their children? Especially toward the end of the month.
Nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States face hunger every day. This threat of hunger felt by the young students across America strongly affects their ability to learn in the classroom. Research suggests that there are three prevalent consequences of hunger in schools: inability to concentrate, poor academic performance, and head aches and stomach aches. Hunger problems in US schools have gotten so severe in recent years that research shows that teachers spent around $35 a month buying food for their hungry students.
While teaching hungry kids is undoubtedly a challenge for teachers, the issue can be resolved. Teachers can advocated for the increase of breakfast programs being implemented and used in schools, as well as advocating for higher funds allocated to allow students to qualify for free and reduced lunch. Additionally, teachers can structure some in-class lessons around learning about foods – therefore, allowing for an opportunity to give students “snacks” during a lesson, while also making the lesson educational. Furthermore, students can receive “rewards” for good behavior or excellent academic performance – these rewards can come in the form of treats or snacks, thus acting to indirectly lessen student hunger during school hours.
While the teacher can do his/her best to provide various snacks to students throughout the year during school hours, I wonder if anything could be done after school hours – example: providing students with food bags, etc. – if not, how can teachers ensure that students are also getting the food/nutrients they need outside of school, so that they are alert and ready to learn when they get to school each morning?
1 in 4 U.S. children rely on food stamps for part of their daily nutrition. Can you teach hungry kids?