Free lunches at school

[Aymerlu 3]

I think unless it's a "been there had to do it" situation, people won't understand how it can really help some families out that REALLY need it.

[Aymerlu 3]

They can feed them in the summer but not during the school year?

Who is to say that they can feed their kids during the summer?

Edited August 25, 2007 by Aymerlu

[KarenCee 3]

Im working in my community to eliminate the program.

*sigh* So these kids are supposed to go hungry at school because YOU have an agenda. The kids who benefit from a free lunch should NOT be held responsible for their parents financial woes. Nor should they be held responsible for YOUR political agendas.

Its all about "What can I get for free" Most of the kids I see in line at my kids school are pretty "fat-n-happy" they arent lookin to starved to me.

The kids I teach that benefit from free meals at school aren't of the "fat-n-happy" variety you blather on about. Usually lunch is the best meal of the day PERIOD for a lot of these kids. I would rather my students have a hot meal at school so they can concentrate and do well in school so they WON'T wind up in the same situation as their parents. So really Marc, what's the REAL agenda here?

The stupid illegals who crossed our borders staying here now there kids attending our schools get free lunches from our hard earned tax dollars taking from our checks every week lol lol.

Those kids didn't ask to be illegal. Do ya really think they told their parents "mom, dad, I don't wanna be an illegal"? Um...no. I don't think so. So you're another one that believes some kids should just starve 'cause it takes money from your paycheck to feed them one meal a day while they're in school. Riiiiiiight. So what's YOUR agenda....the same as Marc's? Starve the kids 'cause they don't deserve to eat at school if they can't pay for it?

Oi Vey.

[KarenCee 3]

Who feeds these poor kids during the summer? Its a bullshite program. If the parents have the ability to feed the kids during summer break and all other holidays then they obviously can feed them year round. Answer it!

Some of these kids barely eat during the summer...plain and simple. I've been teaching for 13 years and I've seen a lot. I've seen kids wolf down their food cause they're so darn hungry. I've seen those same kids quite hungry when they come to school the next day. Ever see a child that's hungry Marc? Look at his or her eyes, that tells it all. WHY are you so opposed to this?????

[Nessa 23]

Nothing in life is free

[Carolyn 1]

FYI there are community programs that give out free lunches paid for by the government for young people in the summertime. These free lunches are distributed at schools, community centers, etc.

Sure, school lunches are not that healthy (remember that ketchup was considered a vegetable?) but they are better than bags of chips, candy and big sugary sodas bought from the neighborhood convenience store.

Malnutrition does not help students learn. Getting a good education is the best way to ensure productive employment and citizenship in the future. IMO school lunches are an excellent investment by the government.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

FYI there are community programs that give out free lunches paid for by the government for young people in the summertime. These free lunches are distributed at schools, community centers, etc.

Sure, school lunches are not that healthy (remember that ketchup was considered a vegetable?) but they are better than bags of chips, candy and big sugary sodas bought from the neighborhood convenience store.

Malnutrition does not help students learn. Getting a good education is the best way to ensure productive employment and citizenship in the future. IMO school lunches are an excellent investment by the government.

Well said.

[Caladan 19]

If it's a means-tested benefit which goes along with food stamps, then essentially by killing the school lunch program you're reducing the amount of money the family gets on food stamps. Plus, if the lunch program is decent, that might be the only nutritious meal the kid gets that day.

I can't imagine the mindset one would have to be in to think that this was the biggest tax burden we faced to campaign against taking a lunch away from a child.

[Marilyn. 340]

Welcome to the Summer Food Service Program! SFSP is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program. Children in your community do not need to go hungry this summer. During the school year, nutritious meals are available through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. But those programs end when school ends for the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/

[Marilyn. 340]

from what I have read it sounds like they try to feed these kids healthy and nutritious meals...

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/default.htm

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Welcome to the Summer Food Service Program! SFSP is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program. Children in your community do not need to go hungry this summer. During the school year, nutritious meals are available through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. But those programs end when school ends for the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/

Thanks, Marilyn. I thought there must be something like that.

[archie07 0]

[Tinker 0]

I don't know who actually pays down there.

My son attended a "gifted school" One where most parents were highly educated and highly paid. STILL, we were all asked to "donate" $10 every month, for our children to be taken across the road for a hot breakfast. The reasoning behind it was KIDS CAN'T LEARN AND RETAIN IF THEY'RE HUNGRY

The money did not come from the gov't, it was donations and fund raisers, which I assume every school has.

We lived in a very poor part of town, and let me tell you there was as many "fat" kids as there were emaciated children. That doesn't mean they weren't all hungry, it means they weren't eating properly. How do you think we get "fat adults"????

I'll tell you what they eat in the summer for lunch, if they get lunch, after a quick bowl of cereal when they get up, things like crackers and peanut butter, maybe some kd, or beans if there's extra and they don't have to have that for supper.

When I was working with Scouts, if I knew one of the kids were hungry, I'd invite them over for some reason and make sure they had a good hot meal. I did what I could to make sure these kids had warm enough clothes for the cold.

These are children. Blaming their parents is not going to solve anything.

Why not instead of being part of the problem and complaining, get out and be part of the solution???

[archie07 0]

I'm sure there are freeloaders, but this program doesn't only effect lazy people. What happens to a hard working family involved in a serious auto accident or a family stricken by a serious illness? They lose thier earning power. Slowly thier savings become depleted. Insurance only pays so much.

[Marilyn. 340]

or the parents who have to work 2 jobs... don't they deserve a little break??