Every Child Deserves a Hunger Free Summer
Posted by Katherine Van Steenburgh on Monday, July 12, 2010
On a recent site visit during The Summer Meals Tour, Alice and I were reminded by one of the program leaders that every single child is different. Every kid has different interests, different dreams, different fears, different taste buds, different likes, different questions, and different hopes. One of the most amazing parts of our summer meals road trip has been the chance to meet hundreds of different, hilarious, honest, and incredible kids.
If you want a dose of candid refreshing banter just go have lunch at a summer camp or hang out at a summer breakfast program. When one endearing seven year old girl, Emily, found out we worked for a group that was fighting hunger, she smiled and confidently said “I’m already working to help Haiti and then I’m going to end world hunger.” Emily’s unfiltered ambition was contagious.
While in South Florida, we spent one full day visiting three different summer camps and programs that participate in the Summer Food Service Program. Our partner in the fight to end child hunger in Florida - Florida Impact - is working with a coalition of these local direct service organizations to increase the participation rate for kids in the Summer Food Service Program across Palm Beach County. At each site, were were able to witness kids being served a healthy meal and talk to community leaders about the specific challenges and barriers families in their communities face in regards to hunger. Here was our schedule:
- 9:00 am Breakfast at a school summer camp site in Pahokee
- 11:00 am Lunch with the Tabernacle Victory Church in Belle Glade
- 2:00 pm After school snack at a summer church camp site in Belle Glade
At one of the sites, we met three siblings who are actually three of six. Recently, the state had decided to remove all six children from the custody of their mother. The six siblings were split. Half went with one grandmother and half went with another. When kids are facing difficult changes to their family life that can cause emotional anxiety and stress, it’s even more critical that they consistently receive three nutritious meals a day to keep them healthy and strong.
Unfortunately, their story isn’t abnormal for this group of kids. Out of over 30 campers, only 2 live in a home with both parents. And the leaders of the organization told us that most of these children’s parents are struggling to find work and therefore are struggling to provide meals to their kids. And this site was in the middle of Palm Beach County, a place where hunger exists but is often overlooked.
Every child is unique, but the need to receive care, leadership, and nutritious food is universal. Every child should be able enjoy a hunger free summer and not have to worry about where their next meal comes from. It’s going to take all of us to accomplish this, and we’re going to need the ambition of seven year-old Emily in order to succeed.
More images from our summer meals tour can be seen in our FlickR stream.
July 12, 2010 | 1 comment(s) | Tags: grantees, no kid hungry, summer meals
Comments
1 reader comment so far.
Sometimes it's really that simple, isn't it? I feel a little stupid for not thinking of this myself/earlier, though.
Posted by 轮盘赌技巧 on July 21, 2010
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