Please Do NOT Let the Children go Hungry!

This picture is posted on "Reaching Hunger Children in America"

(Children)

  Many people, including myself are trying to get the word out regarding the Healthy, Hunger‐Free Kids Act (S. 3307) and the recovery of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or formerly known as food stamps). For those of you who do not know what this is, this Act that Congress has approved that will lower SNAP, and raise the cost of school lunches. What is the purpose behind this Act you ask…to bring better lunches to schools. Why will it lower the amount of SNAP benefits for our children you ask? Congress is taking 2.2 billion dollars of SNAP benefits to fund this child nutrition reauthorization, or in other words, Congress is taking the money from the children in need, and giving it to the schools for better school lunches. Do not get me wrong, I am all in favor of improving lunches for our children at school, but at what cost, and whose expense? Not our children, that is for sure! Here is the link to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307):

http://ag.senate.gov/Legislation/FULLCNB10.pdf

  Please take the time to look at this Bill. It affects ALL parents, not just the ones whose children receive reduced or free school lunches, and SNAP benefits.

  As it stands, Congress has changed this Act in a way that will affect every parent, especially the parents who have their child(ren) receiving SNAP. If the amendment of this Act is denied, it will cause a serious financial burden for all parents, by raising the cost of school lunches, and it may even cause a possible nutritional problem for our children by lowering SNAP (food stamp) amounts our children receive. As many of you may know, children's SNAP has already been affected, and countless people are suffering from this loss (around 16,000 Vermonters will suffer. Now imagine, out of that 16,000 how many of them are children). (Austin) That is just the numbers for Vermont, now think of how that will affect us as a country in a whole.

"More than 42 million Americans now use food stamps, 17 percent more than a year ago and up 58.5 percent since 2007, MSNBC reported Nov. 4.


Overall, about 14 percent of U.S. households are now reliant on food stamps, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In some states, like Mississippi and Tennessee, the figure is more than 20 percent.


The average food stamp recipient received $133.90 in aid monthly, while the average household in the program received $287.82." (Curley)

I found this on "The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger" website and thought it might be of interest to you who do not know what it is like to live on food stamps-

"3SquaresVT Challenge: November 14th—20th as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Learn first hand what it is like to try to make ends meet on a limited food budget! Live on a 3SquaresVT budget for a week – spend only $38 on food to eat for the week.  Then share your experience with others. Learn more, find materials, and register here. 3SquaresVT (formerly food stamps) is the nation's single most important program in the fight against hunger, designed to improve the nutrition and food purchasing power of people with limited incomes.  The program makes a difference in the lives of thousands of Vermonters every day, but in many cases, the benefits are too low to allow households to purchase nutritious food and feed their families healthy meals on a consistent basis. The 3SquaresVT Challenge seeks to highlight what it is like to eat on the average 3SquaresVT benefit — approximately $1.80 per meal." (Hunger)

  The great thing about the 3SquaresVT Challenge is that it gives people who are not on food stamps (SNAP) a chance to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Once you do this Challenge, even if only for a day, imagine what it will be like for these families receiving SNAP, if Congress lowers the amount they have to live on after being accustomed to living on such. Unheard of...Right? How does Congress expect those who receive SNAP to live?? Why doesn't Congress try to live on what they are making others live off, and then tell me...is it fair?

For those of you who do not live in Vermont you can go to this link http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/awareness/2010manual.pdf for information on how to get the food challenge set up in your community.

  Are we going to sit back and let Congress take food from our children to offset their expenses (like Medicaid)? They are taking from Peter to pay Paul, however; in this case, Peter is our children! Does Congress really think that it is all right to take the money they need to fund this Act from money that is intended for children's food? I think not!

  We need to stand up for those who cannot, those who are too young to have a voice of their own! Congress is re-examining this Act November 15. We need to act NOW! I am incorporating in this post a URL link to Feeding America. They have a page set up for you to send a pre-written letter via email that will go to your U.S. House Representative, and President Barack H. Obama, to ask for this Bill to be emended, and for their support in the passing of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307) and restore the SNAP program.

 Please take the time to look at this link:
http://www.hungeractioncenter.org/video.aspx   
  
If this Act is not emended, our children will be the ones suffering in the end. Please do not let our children go hungry!

There are many great web sites out at this moment speaking of this issue, here are a few that I have found helpful in my researching of this Bill:

Austin, Matt. "Vermonters Face Food Money Cuts." 1 October 2010. Fox 44 News. 11 November 2010 http://www.fox44now.com/Global/story.asp?S=13215023

Children, Feed the. "Reaching Hungry Children in America." n.d. Feed the Children. 11 November 2010 http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=org_hungerhurts

Curley, Bob. "Food Stamp Use Soars in 2010." 5 November 2010. Me You Health. 11 November 2010 http://www.meyouhealth.com/news/basic-access/food-stamp-use-soars-in-2010/

Hunger, The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood. "Special Events." n.d. The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. 11 November 2010 .http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vtnohunger.org%2Finfo%2Fevents.php&ei=33v5TOyqKMH38Abe7r2_CQ&usg=AFQjCNEaRDOixL-a4FUMYLFSiTBKVvuhrQ&sig2=NTeqOp4bhA0qQ4VRxYMB1w

Young, Angela S. "Poetry: Children & poverty." n.d. Helium. 11 November 2010http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.helium.com%2Fknowledge%2F126498-poetry-children-and-poverty&ei=Hnz5TIiRHcT48AaE5-W-CQ&usg=AFQjCNEpAh5lpEsUPckJjS4SHrk0DSstEg&sig2=gxdTodHLeJ6bczWy8cVYkQ  .

"Loudly growls the prowling beast,

Gnawing on, till its victim has ceased.

A constant reminder, chased by fear;

Each day its ugly head it will rear.

No food for the hungry, no warmth for the cold

No hope to the living, their story untold.

A child lives in poverty, his needs unmet;

His stomach is bloated, his eyes deeply set.

He doesn't want much, just some food and a bed,

A crust for his stomach, a place for his head.

So little, so frail, fearing wolves at the door,

His small hand extended, asking for more.

So little to please him, and yet we sleep on;

Too busy to see, as another one's gone.

Will we ever wake to their hungry cries?

Or will we sleep on while another one dies?"

(Young)

Introductions

I would like to start by introducing myself, my name is Beth Cochran, and I am a 31-year-old college student. I attend school at Community College of Vermont in Montpelier, Vermont, am in my freshman year of a Liberal Degree for pre-med. I hope that you will find my blog very helpful. I am bringing this blog to you to help you feed your families, as well as to help you to help your community put an end to Childhood Hunger.

  If we don't do something about Childhood Hunger, who will? Too many people are going without the help they so desperately need because they are too afraid to stand up and ask for help. Why is that? Have you stopped to ask yourself…why that is? If you have not, you should. It is amazing how many people are prejudice against people on Welfare, or families receiving state aid. In this day in age, that should be unheard of, but sadly, it's not. You need not listen to what people say. The only thing that matters is your children, and as long as you know that you are doing what is best for them, everything will be all right.

  Childhood Hunger is no joking matter! It is very serious and extremely real, the question is what are we going to do about it? As caring parents or community members, it is our responsibility to make sure that we are doing whatever we can to help. We should not let our children go hungry just because we are ashamed. It should not matter what other people are going to think if you need to feed your family with food stamps, or have to go to the food shelf. The only people whose thoughts that should matter are your children.

  This blog will have many useful bits of information for you to reference, like which organizations to contact if you need help with food, or food stamps, (and where you can find those organizations.) I will be posting on different programs that are available for you to utilize thru your child's school too. Keep an eye open for links to other blogs, and different web pages. You can find them in the "Related Links" section of the blog.

  I am here not only to educate you about Childhood Hunger, but I am also here to help. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate in leaving it for me in the "Get Answers" section of my blog.
Childhood Hunger is a big problem these days, especially with the way economy has been. Many families are suffering due to the economic crisis, and they either do not know what to do to help their families, or are too proud to ask for help. In Washington County, Vermont between 2008 and 2010:

"32.4% of public school students were approved for School Meals Programs, a 34% increase since 2000.


13% of children received 3SquaresVT (food stamp) benefits, compared to 15.7% statewide.


Rates of 3SquaresVT enrollments and students approved for School Meals have both increased since 2000—which may be related to increased child poverty as well as improved outreach." (Count)

These statistics and more are available at this link: http://www.voicesforvtkids.org/ .

Another site to check out is Choice - Citizens for Healthy Options in Children's Education. Here is the link to their article on "Understanding What Children Are Eating at School" - http://www.choiceusa.net/Parents_NSLP.html .

  This article is helpful in understanding the food program at your child(ren)'s school. Not only does this site give you a brief history of the School Lunch Program, but it also gives you information on the nutrition guidelines that the school has to follow, and it even explains to you how subsidized lunches work, and how they (the school) gets compensated federally for the school lunch programs.
Did you know:

"Since the National School Lunch Act was enacted in 1946 over 180 billion meals have been served to children across the country."

 AND

"In the 2000-2001 school year alone approximately 8,000 schools -- 27.4 million children -- participated." (Understanding What Children are Eating at School)


  Make sure to look at "Feeding America." This is a very helpful site, and you can find the link in "Related Links." Not only will this site help you in get connected with your community, but it also has a "Get Help" section where you can get a list of great resources.

 

There are many great web sites out at this moment speaking of this issue, here are a few that I have found helpful in my researching of this program:

Count, Wahsington County Kids. "Vermont KIDS Count." 2000-2010. Voices for Vermont Children. 14 November 2010

http://www.voicesforvtkids.org/kids-count/kids/

Teresa, Mother. "Famous Quotes About Children and Poverty." 2000, 2002-2010 . Releasing Children from Poverty Compassion in Jesus' Name. 5 November  2010 http://www.compassion.com/child-advocacy/find-your-voice/famous-quotes/default.htm

"Understanding What Children are Eating at School." n.d. Choice. 5 November 2010 http://www.choiceusa.net/Parents_NSLP.html

Picture posted on CHOICE

Citizens for Healthy Options in Children's Education

(Understanding What Children are Eating at School)

"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed." - Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic nun (Teresa)