Does your child rely on free lunch at school?

[Anonymous]

My recent assesment is that everyone is relying on a free-meal. Hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Never. We pack a lunch every day. That way we can be sure DC is getting a good, healthy meal.

[Anonymous]

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

[Anonymous]

I was raised on free lunch -- and always mortified by it since everyone in school knew who the free lunch kids were. In the summers, my mom encouraged us to eat at friends' houses when we were invited -- never to ask, but always to accept the invitation. And when we had enough groceries in a certain week, she'd return the favor. My mom is the hardest-working person I know and often had two jobs. But they were low wages and my dad, who up and left her for another woman, didn't pay any child support. Also, to the ignorant person who posted about ramen noodles, no, not everyone has them available. When I was growing up, the cheapest thing that could feed our family was a box of macaroni and cheese at 39 cents a box. I remember many times we were scrounging up change to be able to afford one for dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to work at a school where 100% of students qualified for a free lunch and I was glad the children received them. Why? Most students brought in a bag of chips and bottle of soda for lunch, or a bunch of candy. Occasionally kids had lunchables or subway sandwiches which was fine but not really enough servings of vegetables or fruit.

At least the free lunch ensured the kids got something resembling a balanced diet.

Again, this reinforces the bullshit factor in this thread.

If they can afford to bring in chips, soda, candy, lunchables, subway sandwiches - they aren't poor. It just means they have parents who don't know what the hell they are doing. For less money than it costs to buy the junk food, they could be providing healthy food.

Have you heard of a food desert? There are neighborhoods where there are no grocery stores. Only corner stores and fast food places. Plus, if this is what your parents have eaten for their whole life, they will feel fine about feeding it to their children.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Actually there was a regular grocery store down the road from the school.

[Anonymous]

Regarding, "poor neighborhoods" in DC are at this point very fragmented - maybe a 4 or 5 block stretch here and there.

And for the few that remain, most are within walking distance of a regular grocery store of some type. The poorest neighborhoods in SW are just a block or two from a beautiful new Safeway. Some of the poorest neighborhoods in Anacostia are near a Giant, et cetera.

There are only a handful of smallish areas in DC at this point that might genuinely constitute a "food desert" where there are poor folks who don't have a decent grocery store in walking distance nearby - like near Barry Farm or Deanwood.

But for most of DC it's only a food desert if you aren't willing to walk a few blocks - something the rest of us do all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding, "poor neighborhoods" in DC are at this point very fragmented - maybe a 4 or 5 block stretch here and there.

And for the few that remain, most are within walking distance of a regular grocery store of some type. The poorest neighborhoods in SW are just a block or two from a beautiful new Safeway. Some of the poorest neighborhoods in Anacostia are near a Giant, et cetera.

There are only a handful of smallish areas in DC at this point that might genuinely constitute a "food desert" where there are poor folks who don't have a decent grocery store in walking distance nearby - like near Barry Farm or Deanwood.

But for most of DC it's only a food desert if you aren't willing to walk a few blocks - something the rest of us do all the time.

Southeast is a big area, one grocery store is not going to be easily accessible to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Just to push back on the school lunch are crap line of reasoning. We do not buy lunch but my children do regularly choose to purchase lunch. I leave it up to them, one only goes for pizza and mac and cheese days while the other is more adventurous. The goal is to have local fruit on the menu daily, the breads are whole grain and there is always a salad/vegetarian option. It is not fine dining by any stretch of the imagination but it is not slop. My kids do have stands, particularly the one who eats more often. She is just more adventurous in her diet so will try things like ginger something chicken on brown rice.

We attend a school with a very low free and reduced lunch rate, but many kids like their hot lunch.

Also, I think they have done away with the stigma because no one pays cash anymore, I fund my kids accounts and they are just a name on a list that can buy lunch. Hopefully that addresses some of the embarrassment issues that are very hard on kids.

[Anonymous]

19:29 here, I meant to say we do not qualify for FARMs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the scammers who end up causing the genuinely hungry the most harm. It not only takes away precious resources from the hungry, it also makes those who can help and who otherwise would want to help turn away.

It's a big deal. It's something that seriously needs to be dealt with.

People who turn away from children in need because of these concerns need to take responsibility for their own decision to ignore children in need.

Oh, so those of us who work, who feed our own kids, who already contribute so much are the ones who have to take responsibility for feeding hungry children, but scammers and deadbeats get a free pass. I see. Thanks for clarifying that.

You wonder why many people push back? It's because of bullshit like this.

You don't help others because you don't want to. Own it.

NP here. Actually it's called compassion fatigue. I know you think you're the only one out there appealing for help for your very worthy cause, it's just that so is Amy, and Bruce, and Catarina, and DeShawn, and Enrique, and Fiona, etc. etc. etc. Eventually, just saying "I need" and "I want" isn't enough - people want to know: what are you using it for? what % actually goes to the children? what % is overhead? are there other organizations serving the same goals? etc.

Just because someone pushes back doesn't mean they don't care. It may very well mean that they're reasonably rationing their responses for maximum impact.

Or, you can't do math or balance a checkbook or make any responsible decisions in your own life. Own it.

[Anonymous]

I was a free lunch kid. We had to borrow money from my grandparents for groceries some months though I imagine if my mom had to, she would have figured out how to send us with lunch food, so we wouldn't have gone hungry or, at least, very hungry.

You definitely wanted me and my siblings in your class though- we were smart and well behaved, just very poor (lived in an old farmhouse without running water).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was raised on free lunch -- and always mortified by it since everyone in school knew who the free lunch kids were. In the summers, my mom encouraged us to eat at friends' houses when we were invited -- never to ask, but always to accept the invitation. And when we had enough groceries in a certain week, she'd return the favor. My mom is the hardest-working person I know and often had two jobs. But they were low wages and my dad, who up and left her for another woman, didn't pay any child support. Also, to the ignorant person who posted about ramen noodles, no, not everyone has them available. When I was growing up, the cheapest thing that could feed our family was a box of macaroni and cheese at 39 cents a box. I remember many times we were scrounging up change to be able to afford one for dinner.

Yea, I like how this board is so afraid of free lunch kids. I was one and me and my siblings who were merciless picked on and excluded for being poor. We were afraid (yes afraid since teasing included physical stuff too) of the mean rich and middle-class kids.

[Anonymous]

Can't we model some compassion for our children?
We'll all need a little compassion some day, maybe not exactly a box of noodles, just someone who cares.

Money can't always buy that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't we model some compassion for our children?
We'll all need a little compassion some day, maybe not exactly a box of noodles, just someone who cares.

Money can't always buy that.

+1