Feeding hungry children: letter to the editor

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, La Grande Observer

Feeding hungry children

To the Editor:

It is the end of the school week and some children may miss school, have stomach aches, act agressively or horde food. These are potential signs of a “food insecure” child — a child who does not know if there will be enough food to eat over the weekend. During the week these children participate in the school breakfast and lunch programs but the weekends may be bleak with not enough food for even two meals a day.

A new program is beginning to address the plight of “hungry children” in the

La Grande School District. The Friday Backpack Program provides a bag of food to children on Fridays during the school year to help keep hunger at bay until Monday breakfast at their school.

On MLK Day, people gathered at Zion Lutheran Church to hear about the program. This was part of the National Day of Service and many people attended in response to then President-elect Obama’s call for action in remaking America.

Did you know that an Oregon full-time minimum wage worker earns $8.40 an hour — $17,472 a year? That’s below the federal poverty line for a family of three. No wonder children worry about being hungry.

What can you do?

• Ask Congress to include funding for critical anti-hunger programs in the economic stimulus package legislation. Go to Feedingamerica.org to make your voice heard.

• Consistently donate to the local Friday Backpack Program. Some items needed: instant oatmeal packets, protein bars, mac and cheese boxes, vegetable beef soup, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, instant hot chocolate, pudding cups, 4.2-ounce boxes of 100 percent fruit juice, 5-ounce canned tuna or chicken and ravioli/Spaghettios.

Drop the food into the lime green containers at Cook Memorial Library, OSU Extension Service on North McAlister, First Presbyterian Church or Grande Ronde Retirement Residence in La Grande.

For more information, call 963-3953.