Hungry children tug at our heart strings. Knowing that in the middle of America there are kids who aren’t getting enough to eat is hard to imagine.
It seems un-American.
The Gazette published a story Wednesday that exposed this problem in our own community. With a record 66 percent of Emporia students on free and reduced meal plans, every month there are a growing number of students living in food-insecure homes. As a result, many of these children are coming to school hungry, stomachs growling, asking teachers for something to eat.
The schools cannot meet this need alone. They need our help.
We hope the sobering story compelled our readers to get involved in Food for Students, a new community-based initiative attempting to meet the need of many of these students by providing a “to-go” bag of food to take home on the weekends.
But if you’re still not sure, or if you don’t think helping these kids is a wise investment of your resources, consider this research by Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief charity.
Hungry kids cost us – more than healthy ones – in the long run:
• Hungry kids can’t do well in school. Children from food insecure households are likely to be behind in their academic development compared to their healthy peers, which ultimately makes it difficult for them to reach the same level of development as healthy children. That will cost us.
• Hungry kids are at higher risk for illness. Compared to food secure children, children from food insecure families are 90 percent more likely to be in fair or poor health and have 30 percent higher rates of hospitalization. That will cost us.
• Hungry kids are at risk for poorer mental health. Research shows that food-insecure children are more likely to experience irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating compared to other children. Chronically hungry children are also associated with grade repetition, absenteeism, tardiness, anxiety and aggressive behavior. That will cost us.
Kansas ranks 12th in the nation for the number of homes with unstable food supplies. Hungry kids are a real problem here. And from educational tax dollars to health care tax dollars, we will pay for these hungry little ones one way or another. Doing it now or later is our choice.
Whether you’re moved by your heart or by your pocket book, making sure Emporia’s children are well fed today seems the wisest investment for tomorrow.
Ashley Knecht Walker
Editor
Editor’s Note: To help feed Emporia’s hungry children, send a tax-deductible donation to “Food for Students” at Emporia School Foundation, 1700 W. Seventh Ave. Or, drop off a food donation to The Gazette, 517 Merchant; The Salvation Army, 327 Constitution St., or 12th Avenue Baptist Church, 2023 W. 12th Ave. Food items needed immediately are:
• Large jars of peanut butter
• Small to medium boxes of crackers and cheese spread
• Breakfast/granola bars
• Cereal (medium size boxes) or packets of oatmeal
• Pancake mix and syrup
• Rice or pasta packets
• Tuna/Chicken salad snack packs
• Fruit/Pudding cups
• Macaroni and cheese (just add water)
• Soup mix packages or Ramen noodles (no cans)
• Shelf-stable milk
lena (Lena Bass) says...
Maybe we could use some of that monument money feeding the children of the town?
January 27, 2011 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
great idea! the best money investment is in the children. : D
January 27, 2011 at 5:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
just as a side note, mr walker came to newman today to pick up my check. i know there are dozens of reasons to not support this cause. but it is not the childrens fault. we shouldn't punish them.
January 27, 2011 at 6:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
January 27, 2011 at 6:35 p.m. ( permalink )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
REWBA, aka yy4u go hide your head in shame!!
January 27, 2011 at 6:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
I'm sorry scarlett01_98 but I know way too many of these crack heads that trade steaks purchased with food stamps for dope money. They get their kids taken away and won't even quit doing drugs long enough to get their kids back. In the mean time taxpayers pay for their children's care and mandatory drug rehab and counseling for people who refuse to quit. They light a torch under a broken light bulb and breath the meth vapors and complain about how screwed up the law is. They need to feed their kids but can't because they need to put more minutes on their cell phone in case their dealer calls and pay off a payday loan so they can get a re-loan and run to the crack house. Their own families don't want them around cause they are only there to steal some copper, aluminum or the catalytic converter off their parents car but they aren't going to buy groceries...no, they need some more meth.
January 27, 2011 at 7:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
doun2others (anonymous) says...
First...we all need to be charitable and assist others as we are able, particularly children. However, I also agree that mandatory paternity testing for children born while mom is on medical card is a good idea. My profession includes working with individuals who have been lost in addiction and are CHOOSING to live in recovery. However, I've heard and seen many a drug dealer claiming to "support" their family----but their numerous children are claimed by them only on the financial terms they choose----they give cash, gifts, etc., but very few are listed as the father. Because....the state of kansas actually has a pretty efficient system for collecting money back from the deadbeat dads. So, the mothers are complicit in the deception; and, we, hard-working, law-abiding taxpayers pay to raise MANY children whose fathers never officially have to pay a dime to support them. This needs to change!
January 27, 2011 at 7:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hogan77 (anonymous) says...
REWBA: Just because the one example given in the story was about a child of a single mother with number 6 on the way, this does not always show what other cases there are. In today's economy, ESPECIALLY in Emporia where rent is obscene and wages are nonexistent, there are children from families with a mom and a dad, both working to try to make ends meet. Even if they had 2 jobs a piece (highly unlikely unless they had free babysitting), sometimes it just doesn't matter.
Your comment was uncalled for. For you to believe that ALL of these children are products of "hussies" and "crack heads".
Shame on you. Let's hope YOU never get in a situation like that, where you don't make enough to support yourself and you are starving. I will be the first one in line to call you names.
January 27, 2011 at 7:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
i did flag your comment rewba. i'm not hiding in the shadows, not being quiet.
YOU ARE STILL A JERK!!
January 27, 2011 at 7:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
"Shame on you. Let's hope YOU never get in a situation like that, where you don't make enough to support yourself and you are starving."
Red Beans and Rice cost nothing. I bet I could hand wash cars at the country club one day a week and pick up litter along the highway to supplement that diet with some meat. But you won't see me in line at the SRS begging hard working taxpayers for free food. No! Not me. I made enough right choices in my lifetime so I can help my grandchildren without starving myself. Of course I'm an oddity in today's world. I've been married to the same woman for thirty years and I never had a ex-wife. I don't have any babies mamas running around out their either. Strange huh?
January 27, 2011 at 7:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fourstars (anonymous) says...
rewba = classic example of 'I got mine so screw you'
nice.
Your family must be so proud.
January 27, 2011 at 9:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
apierich (anonymous) says...
REWBA, if all you look for is trash all you are going to see is trash. You seem to be caught up in the trash. I will agree that there are a larger number of people who have their hand out so they can be completely selfish and only take care of themselves, whether it be drugs or entertainment or what have you, but there are those who these organizations are set up to help who are not that way and actually use it as a bridge to a better way of life for everyone and not just themselves and then give back more than they ever took.
It's human nature to fear or lash out at those you don't understand because you haven't been there or bothered to actually educate yourself beyond what you see in the press or on an occasion here or there. That is what I take you as, if it was good enough for you, it's good enough for everyone, and if you never got or needed it, no one should. I could get more personal and actually attack you, but all that would do was stoke your fires of hate at the unknown, as if the rest of this probably didn't, and I don't think anyone cares to listen to it anymore.
January 27, 2011 at 9:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hogan77 (anonymous) says...
Never say never. That's all I have to say.
January 27, 2011 at 10:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
apierich, I do plan on making a small donation to this project. After reading the Hungry Kids story yesterday, I contacted an acquaintance in the packaged food industry asking how he might help help me.
Funny thing about that acquaintance. He earns more than 50K each year yet every time I talk to him he complains about the state taking $400 per month for court ordered child support. He was more than happy to look into donating food for strangers yet thought that 100 buck a week for his own two children was somehow too much. Funny how people are. His babies mama has medical cards and public assistance. She works as a waitress and averages $80 per day in tips but none of that is reported as earnings. Only what her W-2 shows and the child support goes on the application for energy assistance, that's all the state can prove.
Daddy drives a brand new sports car and works for a company that provides good health and dental, Mama's counting quarters to buy a pack a smokes and enough gas to get the kids to school and to work where she will get another pocket full of change to buy some McDonalds for the children on the way back home from school. A hand full of quarters for the sitter and she's off on the town looking for a bigger better deal.
The only reason I'm planning to donate is because it's not fair to expect the school teachers to be as heartless as me.
January 27, 2011 at 10:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
citizen1 (anonymous) says...
LMBO!!! You watch WAY to many lifetime movies REWBA!
January 27, 2011 at 10:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
I once served as a human resource officer for a command with 5,000 military, 3,000 civilians and when you include their family members, the garrison had a population exceeding that of Emporia, KS. Did you know that people do stupid things? Just when you think you have seen every stupid act possible someone goes and proves you wrong. I dealt with one case where a father prostituted his 14 year old stepdaughter and her friends to troops in the barracks. He felt that since we weren't paying him enough that it was the government's fault. His wife blamed it all on the other girls who came over for a sleepover every payday. You know what's really crazy? Worst things have happened.
January 27, 2011 at 11:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
REWBA....
Now why is it that you have to help your grandchildren? My parents haven't had to help my kids ( their grandchildren). My husbands parents haven't had to help our kids. I'm assuming that since you have made so many good choices in life, then that should include teaching your own kids to provide everything that your grandchildren might need? That's kind of a sham to have to help financially support your grandkids too.
January 28, 2011 at 12:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Pinkpintopony, I said "I made enough right choices in my lifetime so I can help my grandchildren without starving myself."
I taught my sons the difference between Lovin' and Likin' so my grand-kids will grow up with parents who like each other. Most kids don't have that because America has become stupid. That's why we have single mothers and hungry kids running all over the place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wQyDi...
I don't have grandchildren yet. Being prepared is one of those "right choices" I spoke of earlier. I know, I'm an oddity in today's world.
January 28, 2011 at 1:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bettyrubin28 (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
January 28, 2011 at 2:10 a.m. ( permalink )