All across the U.S. more than 15 million children live in food insecure homes.
To help combat childhood food insecurity, the National School Lunch Program provides low-cost or free lunches to over 30 million children daily during the 9 month long school year. Studies have shown that the lack of food contributes to a child’s poor academic performance and behavior issues.School lunches are often the only meal many children will have all day.
During the three months of summer, the USDA provides the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP.) Though this resource is available, only 18 percent of all eligible children participate in the program. There are many hurdles to overcome such as lack of transportation, lack of open summer meal sites,and non-profit, No Kid Hungry, identifies the biggest hurdle as the “congregate feeding requirement,” which stipulates that children travel to a central location and eat their meals together at the site. It's not easy for kids to get to the meal sites, especially in rural areas, where poverty is rampant.
In his 2017 budget proposal next month, President Obama will seek $12 billion over the next 10 years to address the problim. Families who qualify for free or reduced school meals will be given a special electronic benefits card that will allow them to buy an additional $45 in groceries per child each month school is out.
Children often suffer from chronic hunger when school’s out for summer. While working on an initiative designed to increase access to healthier food in an urban food desert, I've encountered many of these children. They say it's hard to concentrate and focus when you're hungry.
This additional $45 per child would mean a lot to parents in areas without a summer meal program site nearby.
Imagine how much good we can do by ensuring that we take care of America’s children, the most vulnerable of us. Please join me in asking Congress to approve President Obama’s budget proposal to feed hungry American children while school’s out for summer.
