If you go to the Safeway in Soldotna, you will notice that the store has placed a brown paper bag filled with non-perishable food items on most of the conveyor belts of the checkout aisles. If purchased, the bag will go to the local food bank. Earlier this week I added a bag to my groceries hoping that it would help a family with children. On the way home, the news on the radio shared that Congress planned to cut food stamps to several million people. I had to marvel at the timing of doing this so close to Christmas and wondered if the cuts would affect any of our district’s students. Regardless of your views on curbing poverty, I worry that children are being lost in the conversation. About 45% of our students qualify for a free or reduced price lunch. I don’t know how many of these children also benefit from food stamps, but am sure that many do.
The ongoing debate of how to move people out of poverty is complicated and for me frustrating because children for many are an afterthought. The good news is that our communities on the Kenai are generous and regularly step up to help the needy. When tragedy strikes, our neighbors rally together to offer relief. Each year our schools demonstrate this generosity with food and clothes drives. Our teachers regularly spend their own money to provide supplies for their students. During this holiday season I offer thanks to everyone who gives something extra to our students. While the bigger picture of how to help adults move out of poverty persists, let’s not lose sight of our children who desperately need support to help them weather the poverty storm. There is optimism that our growing economy will reduce our students’ level of poverty. Until then, let’s continue to give all that we can to help our children look ahead.
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Children and poverty
If you go to the Safeway in Soldotna, you will notice that the store has placed a brown paper bag filled with non-perishable food items on most of the conveyor belts of the checkout aisles. If purchased, the bag will go to the local food bank. Earlier this week I added a bag to my groceries hoping that it would help a family with children. On the way home, the news on the radio shared that Congress planned to cut food stamps to several million people. I had to marvel at the timing of doing this so close to Christmas and wondered if the cuts would affect any of our district’s students. Regardless of your views on curbing poverty, I worry that children are being lost in the conversation. About 45% of our students qualify for a free or reduced price lunch. I don’t know how many of these children also benefit from food stamps, but am sure that many do.
The ongoing debate of how to move people out of poverty is complicated and for me frustrating because children for many are an afterthought. The good news is that our communities on the Kenai are generous and regularly step up to help the needy. When tragedy strikes, our neighbors rally together to offer relief. Each year our schools demonstrate this generosity with food and clothes drives. Our teachers regularly spend their own money to provide supplies for their students. During this holiday season I offer thanks to everyone who gives something extra to our students. While the bigger picture of how to help adults move out of poverty persists, let’s not lose sight of our children who desperately need support to help them weather the poverty storm. There is optimism that our growing economy will reduce our students’ level of poverty. Until then, let’s continue to give all that we can to help our children look ahead.