THE SITUATION
Hunger hampers healthy thinking and development and too many children on North Carolina’s Outer Banks were going hungry. That’s why Food for Thought was born.
Every day, with heartrending consequences, hunger among children cuts a damaging swath across our neighborhoods and our state. It is unfortunate, but a documented fact that preventable hunger continues to exact a heavy toll in North Carolina and in Dare County, especially among children. For proof, we need look no further than the number of children that are eligible for food subsidies from state and federal programs this year:
- More than 30 million children received free or reduced lunches each day across the United States in fiscal year 2006 through more than 101,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions at a cost of $8.2 billion.
- About 7.9 million children received free or reduced breakfasts each day across the country in fiscal year 2006 through nearly 84,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions at a cost of more than $1.5 billion.
- About 50 percent of the elementary students in North Carolina qualify for free or reduced breakfasts and lunches during the school year.
- Closer to home, more than one in four of all elementary children in Dare County qualify for free or reduced breakfasts or lunches during the school year. Between September 2008 and February 2009, the number of eligible elementary children alone has jumped 29 percent!
- Dare County has a unique economic situation. Compared to the Federal average, the number on welfare is comparatively small, while the number of challenged two-income families – making slightly above federal poverty level – is greater. This is due to the seasonal economy which is based on housing and tourism. Reduced off-season work hurts many of these families.
- Many volunteer programs provide after school meals during the school year.
- Many programs offer breakfast and lunch during the summer.
- Only a few programs (volunteer or otherwise) offer meals on the weekends during the school year!
According to US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Dare County Schools |
