You probably already know this: Many kids who receive free or reduced lunches during the school year experience hunger when school is out.
The question is: What can we do to fight that?
I first started thinking about this seriously when I ran across the story of the Lunch Lady in northern Washington State. She is the sort of person I admire — she saw a need and found a way to fill it.
What the news story doesn’t tell us — beyond the fact that the lunches are prepared at a commercial establishment — is what hoops this woman had to jump through to deliver the lunches. Maybe there aren’t many laws she has to worry about where she lives. Or maybe she just did what she’s doing without checking all the laws. But the fact is that many places make it difficult to feed hungry people, particularly if you are just one person acting alone.
Although I believe in safety, I also believe it’s terrible when lots of rules and regulations get in the way of doing good. There needs to be a balance. But because I don’t like to advise people to court trouble, I suggest that you start fighting childhood hunger by supporting local organizations.
One respectable organization is Feeding America, which uses its network of food banks as Summer Food Service Program locations. If there is a location near you, contact them to find out how you can support that service with your money or time.
But what if there isn’t a Feeding America location near you? Search the Internet for “summer meal programs” in your area to find out where you can offer your support.
One important note: Local organizations may tell you that they need general donations of money or even time rather than ones specifically targeting childhood hunger during the summer. Please honor their request. When you help these organizations in general, your help will, in some way, benefit the children the organization assists.
Many summer meal programs are federally supported through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, but many eligible children don’t take advantage of the program, because they lack transportation or their family doesn’t know the service exists. Consider asking the SFSP location near you what you can do to help spread the word. And if the nearest location is some distance away, ask how you can help close that gap.
On a micro-level, if you’re at home during the day and know children who may be experiencing hunger this summer, think of ways you can help one or two families. Give them grocery gift cards or invite the kids over to play with your kids, making sure the invitation includes lunch at your house.
And if you feel called to go full-on Lunch Lady, don’t let laws discourage you completely. Consult with area nonprofits on how you can start a lunch program in your area. A good nonprofit that’s already doing work to fight hunger may be able to help you navigate the landscape of rules and regulations better than you could by yourself.