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Gap in Kids' Food Programs During SummerWith the school year coming to an end and cafeterias closing district wide, this summer close to 15,000 Anchorage kids could be missing out on the only meal they eat all day.Related Content
With the school year coming to an end and cafeterias closing district wide, this summer close to 15,000 Anchorage kids could be missing out on the only meal they eat all day. Many people are asking what's being done to fix to fix this problem. And the solution is more of what volunteers and local organizations are doing and what state lawmakers are not. Kids are going hungry in all parts of town and some are taking sad, drastic measures just to get food. “A mom had lost her job—her son brought in his toys to sell so he can get money to get food for their family,” said Susannah Morgan, executive director of the Food Bank of Alaska. “One sibling said to the other, ‘well you went and got food out of the trash to eat,’” said Vontreal Crump, kitchen manager for the Children’s Meal Mission, a place that provides breakfast and dinner at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club. “I said, ‘why did you do that’ and he said, because it looked good and he was hungry.” It's a reality of hunger that is happening right here in Anchorage—kids who, outside of school, often go without eating. And when summer vacation rolls around, these kids lose the one free meal they get. There is a push to make sure kids’ bellies can remain full to meet the growing demand of children who are fighting hunger just to survive “Summer time is the busiest time because kids are out of school,” said Morgan. “If you look out that window you will see why it’s a good feeling. We don't ask these kids to come,” said George Bell, executive director of the Children’s Meal Mission. “If you ever went without a meal, you know how it is, how your stomach hurts—it’s painful,” said Crump. State Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said he's trying to fund more school meals at a cost of $2 million. But Senate Bill 3 has been held up in the House Finance Committee for a second straight year due to resistance from some lawmakers who have said it’s the parents’ fault. “That's absolutely ridiculous. I don't think you punish kids for being hungry,” said Sen. Wielechowski. “We certainly have the funding to do that. Part of it is education, part of it is educating people…this isn't just about poor kids,” he continued. Calls to the House Finance Co-Chair Rep. Eric Stoltze and Vice Chair Rep. Anna Fairclough on why the school meal funding bill is being held up were not returned. “We are doing everything we can and we need the legislators to step up and help,” said Morgan. George Bell said he wants lawmakers to come down and see how much of a need there is especially after getting a smile from a kid who gets to eat some food. |
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xliber said on Tuesday, May 10 at 9:55 AM
This is the problem with you Libs It always has to be the government money. You like spending other peoples money who are trying to feed their own famillies but I bet you haven't wrote one check from your account have you
66794878Feeding Kids said on Tuesday, May 10 at 10:10 AM
Actually xliber, Children's Meal Mission has feed more than 40,000, and the majority of the money came from our own pockets. The need is great, whether you believe it or not. While we know we're not going to convenience many persons like yourself, who've never been in this situation, these kids are not wrong for being kids. And regardless of who's at fault for these kids being hungry, don't make this political, just feed the children, period.
66795899xliber said on Tuesday, May 10 at 10:18 AM
WICK, Food Stamps, Welfare dont tell me that help is not out there. And don't tell me that I never felt hunger you don't know me. I have spent 22 years in the marine Corps and have been in places were people are really hungery. I seen kids with their pot bellies I have seen and felt real hunger People in america are the most given people in the world if they see a real need they will give They don't need to be forced by a Government so you can feel good
66796517endhunger said on Tuesday, May 10 at 3:26 PM
No child should suffer from hunger. Military leaders pushed Congress to create the national school lunch program in 1946, "as a measure of national security," because so many soldiers in World War II were rejected due to stunted growth or other problems tied to undernourishment.
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