Hunger over the weekend

Children who are in food insecure households will most likely suffer from hunger over the summer when they no longer have access to free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school for the 2.5 months they are out of school (read more about child hunger here). What is not commonly thought about or addressed is that children who are in food insecure households often deal with hunger over the weekend and over school vacations.
The Food Bank of the Albemarle supports over 130 hunger relief partners who work towards eradicating hunger in our region of northeast North Carolina. Some of these partners are tackling the issue of weekend hunger, too. Ahoskie Food Pantry, located in Ahoskie, NC, is working to provide backpacks with food to children who are at risk for weekend hunger. The backpacks are distributed discreetly on Fridays to 47 children in two schools. The pantry started with just 7 kids, but with additional support from the community is now serving 47 children every weekend. Each backpack has 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 single servings of milk and juice, and 2 snacks to sustain children through the weekend. The children have reported they are able to concentrate better upon returning to school on Monday - which is enough anecdotal proof to the program's administrator, Carolyn, that the program model is a success!
In other parts of northeast North Carolina other agencies are also working to ensure children are adequately fed over the weekend. The Edenton Chowan Food Pantry in Edenton, NC has gotten its weekend hunger program off the ground this school year. Children are discreetly selected, based upon their family's need, to participate in the program. The Edenton Chowan Food Pantry weekend hunger program started the fall 2012 school semester. Originally the pantry was providing for 50 children in grades 1-4, but by the spring 2013 semester they were able to expand to 100 kids per weekend. This is only addressing 20% of the need in this school system, however, and efforts to reach all children are being made.
Eagle's Wings - a pantry in Washington, NC - provided 1,702 backpacks in collaboration with area churches to children in 2 school systems in Beaufort County.
The benefits to programs like these compound over the years as children grow. It is true that they are receiving food to sustain them over weekends and holiday vacations, but the real benefit is that they can perform at school to their highest potential and will not fall behind. Maybe it should be said that No Child Left Behind should start with full bellies.
Childhood hunger is a serious problem. In northeast North Carolina nearly 1 in 4 children are considered food insecure. Many schools have populations where 80% or more of children qualify for free and reduced lunch. Children who do not get a balanced and complete diet do not perform at the same level as children who are in food secure households. When children in food insecure households get sick or injured, it takes their bodies longer to recuperate. Overall, it leads to unprepared work forces which doesn't benefit anyone.
To read more about weekend hunger, click here.