Just the other day in The Wall Street Journal there was an article about a program, that was locally based, where kids would take food home from school on the weekends. It was a way to ensure that these kids would have something to eat during the weekend. It really made me think; WHAT THE HELL IS OUR PROBLEM! I can’t stand to hear that a kid could go to sleep hungry. With all of the gov’t funded programs how can a family not be able to get help? Is there that many poor in our country? Was what we saw during the Katrina aftermath not the exception but the reality of our nation? Help me out here guys…….

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I agree that the idea of a child going hungry anywhere, especially here is unbearable. As to your question

quote:

With all of the gov’t funded programs how can a family not be able to get help?

I think that the problem is so complex as to be almost unmanageable. That is not to say we should not try, just that it is huge. There are government, church, NGO programs out there that do just that. The key is to have the parents utilize them. This, unfourtunatly does not happen nearly enough. Shoul we make them, mandate participation? Sounds like too much "big Brother" to me. More programs? The ones that are in place are not being used enough as it is.
I mentor 3 young men at a local middle school during the school year. I have had one last year that did not eat breakfast, nor lunch even though he was qualified for both free programs at school. Who knows what he eats during the weekends. What kind of education is he getting sitting hungry? What kind of a contribution to society will he give later in life. His mother is apathetic towords the situation. The school and I can not make him participate. I feel that he is embarassed to participate. What can you do?
More programs? More family involement? Mandated participation? More money? I think that this is one of the greatest problems that our country faces in the future. I do not know the answer, probably a bit of all.
It is offensive both morally and socially to have anyone go hungry in a country as blessed as ours.

That is very insightful Mark. I hope we can come up with something.

On the katrina note,I live 50 mi. outside D.C. and on a good day it's a 2 hr. wait for emergency room services.Just think about a attack, be it bomb,hazmat or biological.I happen to think it would overwelm emergency services. Would local chaos ensue? Quite possible IMO.As far as kids being hungry,there is no excuse.No excuse..Dave

i couldnt aford to eat lunch in school when i was younger. and i didnt dare go on a program that i would be ridiculed for. the school programs have to be changed so a child on said program could pay for food in a manner that would not say to all the other kids "LOOK AT ME I'M POOR". they should implement a debet card program for all studants so they use plastic with an option to pay cash (studant ID/lunch card). embarassed to participate INDYMARK damn F'n right