by Monica Palmer
There are certain sounds I associate with summer: pool splashes, ice cream trucks and of course, those three little words, “Mom, I’m BORED.”
This year it only took three days of summer break before my son hurled those words at me. I was stunned. It was too soon. I wasn’t prepared.
I improvised, of course, and I had him clipping coupons for about an hour until he realized that there were actually a lot of other things he’d rather be doing.
As much as I hate hearing my son say those words, I am infinitely grateful that boredom is his worst complaint. I can only imagine the stress and pain I would feel if I ever heard him say, “Mom, I’m HUNGRY.”
I know I’m not alone in my belief that no child should ever go hungry, and it wounds me to know that there are so many children, especially during the summer months, who experience hunger on a regular basis.
Summer is a critical time for child hunger in our state. During the school year, nearly 600,000 Missouri kids rely on Free or Reduced-Price School Lunches to give them at least one healthy meal a day during the week. In the summer months, kids lose access to those vital meals.
The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) has been working to feed more kids during the summer, but in Missouri, less than 8% of the kids who participate in the Free or Reduced Price School Lunch Program participate in the Summer Food Service Program. Lack of participation could be due to transportation difficulties, safety concerns or no awareness of meal sites and programs.
Summer meal programs help prepare kids to go into the next school year energized and ready to learn. Plus these meals keeps them healthy through the summer months. Many of the meal sites also offer boredom-busting recreation and enrichment programs. Children are not only well-fed, but have the opportunity to take part in activities that will keep them active and healthy when school is out of session.
Missouri food banks strive to work with existing programs and develop new ones to help bridge the Summer Meal Gap, but we need your help. One of the biggest hurdles to connecting kids with nutritious food is raising awareness about the importance of nutrition during the summer and making sure that food-insecure families know where they can find a meal site near them.
This week is Summer Food Service Program Kick Off Week, and we want to invite everyone to help spread the word about this important program. Let’s connect hungry kids to healthy meals so no mom has to hear her child say, “Mom, I’m hungry” this summer.
Together, we are Feeding Missouri.
To find your nearest Missouri Meal Site, click here.
