FCPS FEEDS Program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous and a huge waste of FCPS funds?

I'm sure you are not. Lots of people don't realize that the only real food some kids in FCPS get is school lunch. That's why they send backpacks with food for them home on weekends. It's not like this is a social event at a Langley feeder. These are very high FARMS rate schools In places like Bailey's where many kids are on their own all day while their single parent mom works. It's hard for me to begrudge any kid 5 solid meals a week. This may be being done through the federal FARMS program. But even if it's my property tax dollars at work, I'm fine with it. People talk about not sending American money overseas when there are hungry people at home. Well, these are hungry kids who love a few mile from you. I imagine if you actually went to one of these schools at lunchtime and saw the kids, you'd grow some compassion. Or maybe not.

Meh, I have never seen any true stats that show there are any kids truly going without food (which is a good thing) and I seriously doubt that any local jurisdiction could provide them. What they could provide would be stats that show some kids are "food insecure" which is not the same thing as going without food. Besides breakfast and lunch at school 10 months out of the year keep in mind these families also received food stamps and many will also receive WIC.

Oh ok. Well as long as their just malnourished/hungry but not literally starving it's all good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous and a huge waste of FCPS funds?

I'm sure you are not. Lots of people don't realize that the only real food some kids in FCPS get is school lunch. That's why they send backpacks with food for them home on weekends. It's not like this is a social event at a Langley feeder. These are very high FARMS rate schools In places like Bailey's where many kids are on their own all day while their single parent mom works. It's hard for me to begrudge any kid 5 solid meals a week. This may be being done through the federal FARMS program. But even if it's my property tax dollars at work, I'm fine with it. People talk about not sending American money overseas when there are hungry people at home. Well, these are hungry kids who love a few mile from you. I imagine if you actually went to one of these schools at lunchtime and saw the kids, you'd grow some compassion. Or maybe not.

Meh, I have never seen any true stats that show there are any kids truly going without food (which is a good thing) and I seriously doubt that any local jurisdiction could provide them. What they could provide would be stats that show some kids are "food insecure" which is not the same thing as going without food. Besides breakfast and lunch at school 10 months out of the year keep in mind these families also received food stamps and many will also receive WIC.

Oh ok. Well as long as their just malnourished/hungry but not literally starving it's all good!

Totally. I want poor 9 year olds to feel anxious and hungry so they know their place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous and a huge waste of FCPS funds?

This is a federally mandated program. The County has to offer it. Their hands are tied. Technically, they should be receiving federal funding for it.

[Anonymous]

This is Donald Trump's America: Complain about a program that feeds hungry kids during the summer. God damn socialism.

[Anonymous]

My youngest is currently at Riverside Elementary - I've had children at the school since 2005. It is our base school. The school has always served breakfast (at least since 2005.) However, in order to get a free breakfast or free lunch, you had to fill out the paperwork to qualify for free or reduced lunch. If my DS wanted breakfast, he had to pay for it. Just like he has to pay for lunch.

Our PTA has a budgeted cafeteria fund. If a child goes to get lunch and does not have money and is not registered for a free lunch, they go hungry. The PTA fund was set up to give those kids a free lunch. The school was not allowed to just give the child a free lunch. The cafeteria workers would write the child's name down and pass it on to the front office. A staff member would contact the family and find out if they just forgot to send in money that day or if the family was in need. If the family is in need, the school would work with them to fill out the appropriate paperwork. My DS's lunch balance is zero - I forget to replenish it. He goes to buy lunch. No money on his account. Instead of going hungry, he gets lunch and the cafeteria workers write his name down. I get a phone call from the office. I send in $5 the next day to "repay" the PTA cafeteria fund. His classmate goes to get lunch. No money. She gets lunch. The school calls the family. The family doesn't know about the federal food program and doesn't have the money for lunch. They work with them to fill out the paperwork. She now gets free breakfast and lunch every day.

Earlier this school year, Riverside sent home a flyer about free breakfast for all. This is a new program at the school. My DS may now get a free breakfast every morning, if he chooses. He said that every morning two students would go to the cafeteria and bring back two boxes of food. One would be a box full of milk. The other would be the breakfast: pancakes, bagels, cereal, etc. Before this breakfast program was initiated, in order to eat breakfast, you had to go to the cafeteria and go through the food line.

I have not been to the lunch program at Riverside. After reading this thread, I am going up to the school this week to check out the program and see how many people are eating lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't anything new. The USDA offers summer meals to kids all over Fairfax County. The sites are usually concentrated in high FARMS areas but anyone can go eat there.

I'm pretty disgusted by people railing against this. You can think their parents should pull themselves up by their bootstraps all you want and you may be right, but it doesn't deny that there are hungry kids out there and they shouldn't have to suffer the consequences.

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't anything new. The USDA offers summer meals to kids all over Fairfax County. The sites are usually concentrated in high FARMS areas but anyone can go eat there.

I'm pretty disgusted by people railing against this. You can think their parents should pull themselves up by their bootstraps all you want and you may be right, but it doesn't deny that there are hungry kids out there and they shouldn't have to suffer the consequences.

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

If their parents earned $15-$20 an hour instead of the current minimum wage, we would'not have to have these types of programs. Most of these kids have paretns that work more than 40 hours a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't anything new. The USDA offers summer meals to kids all over Fairfax County. The sites are usually concentrated in high FARMS areas but anyone can go eat there.

I'm pretty disgusted by people railing against this. You can think their parents should pull themselves up by their bootstraps all you want and you may be right, but it doesn't deny that there are hungry kids out there and they shouldn't have to suffer the consequences.

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

As bad as it sounds....punishing the kids for the income limitations of the parents. Do you not get that not everyone has a privileged background. If you earn minimum wage, you can not dig out of it. You can not afford the education to earth the money to support your kids properly.

God I hate people like you. You assume people choose to be poor. Donald did not choose to be rich; he was born into wealth. Today, to make it, you almost certainly need an education, which costs money. If you do not have the money, your kids go hungry, and will be required to borrow out the wazoo for education. Now, if because of your poverty, your credit is not good, well f*** the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't anything new. The USDA offers summer meals to kids all over Fairfax County. The sites are usually concentrated in high FARMS areas but anyone can go eat there.

I'm pretty disgusted by people railing against this. You can think their parents should pull themselves up by their bootstraps all you want and you may be right, but it doesn't deny that there are hungry kids out there and they shouldn't have to suffer the consequences.

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

If their parents earned $15-$20 an hour instead of the current minimum wage, we would'not have to have these types of programs. Most of these kids have paretns that work more than 40 hours a week.

Do you think the minimum wage should be in the $15-20 an hour range?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't anything new. The USDA offers summer meals to kids all over Fairfax County. The sites are usually concentrated in high FARMS areas but anyone can go eat there.

I'm pretty disgusted by people railing against this. You can think their parents should pull themselves up by their bootstraps all you want and you may be right, but it doesn't deny that there are hungry kids out there and they shouldn't have to suffer the consequences.

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

If their parents earned $15-$20 an hour instead of the current minimum wage, we would'not have to have these types of programs. Most of these kids have paretns that work more than 40 hours a week.

I don’t agree with your statement.
If minimum wage was this high, the cost of goods would rise significantly. Add to that, the fact that wages for those above minimum wage would rise as well causing the cost of goods to rise further.
And, I am not sure how you know that most of these kids have parents that work more than 40 hours a week. My experience with kids of poverty is that at least one of the parents does not work at all.
~ Former teacher at Title I schools

[Anonymous]

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?


As bad as it sounds....punishing the kids for the income limitations of the parents. Do you not get that not everyone has a privileged background. If you earn minimum wage, you can not dig out of it. You can not afford the education to earth the money to support your kids properly.

God I hate people like you. You assume people choose to be poor. Donald did not choose to be rich; he was born into wealth. Today, to make it, you almost certainly need an education, which costs money. If you do not have the money, your kids go hungry, and will be required to borrow out the wazoo for education. Now, if because of your poverty, your credit is not good, well f*** the kids.

+1 I had one student who was an only child. Only a mother who worked day and night to just keep a place rented. Do you think it's really healthy for that kid to be alone with no food hour upon hour in a rundown apartment somewhere? I can tell you the outcome of that. A very angry teenager. He loves his mother, but often asked me (his teacher) if I made lunch for my own son every day. He wanted to know what life at my house was like. Yeah, let's punish the kids so the parents will "step up". His mom was doing the best she could IMO. I don't know who some people are that they judge. I wonder if they have ever been hungry or lonely. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?

You know why it sounds bad? Because it is bad.

There's right and wrong. And this is wrong. Morally wrong. We have food to give. We have love to give. These are very powerful things to share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?


As bad as it sounds....punishing the kids for the income limitations of the parents. Do you not get that not everyone has a privileged background. If you earn minimum wage, you can not dig out of it. You can not afford the education to earth the money to support your kids properly.

God I hate people like you. You assume people choose to be poor. Donald did not choose to be rich; he was born into wealth. Today, to make it, you almost certainly need an education, which costs money. If you do not have the money, your kids go hungry, and will be required to borrow out the wazoo for education. Now, if because of your poverty, your credit is not good, well f*** the kids.

+1 I had one student who was an only child. Only a mother who worked day and night to just keep a place rented. Do you think it's really healthy for that kid to be alone with no food hour upon hour in a rundown apartment somewhere? I can tell you the outcome of that. A very angry teenager. He loves his mother, but often asked me (his teacher) if I made lunch for my own son every day. He wanted to know what life at my house was like. Yeah, let's punish the kids so the parents will "step up". His mom was doing the best she could IMO. I don't know who some people are that they judge. I wonder if they have ever been hungry or lonely. Seriously.

Not pp here.
See, these are the kids that I believe these programs are targeted at. And, I have no issue with that. Give the family a “hand up” so that they don’t need to fret about everything in their lives.
But, that is not what is happening. Instead, it is free food for all..... presumably so we don’t “stigmatize” kids who have real need.
There has to be a better way and a more efficient way to use the funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?


As bad as it sounds....punishing the kids for the income limitations of the parents. Do you not get that not everyone has a privileged background. If you earn minimum wage, you can not dig out of it. You can not afford the education to earth the money to support your kids properly.

God I hate people like you. You assume people choose to be poor. Donald did not choose to be rich; he was born into wealth. Today, to make it, you almost certainly need an education, which costs money. If you do not have the money, your kids go hungry, and will be required to borrow out the wazoo for education. Now, if because of your poverty, your credit is not good, well f*** the kids.

+1 I had one student who was an only child. Only a mother who worked day and night to just keep a place rented. Do you think it's really healthy for that kid to be alone with no food hour upon hour in a rundown apartment somewhere? I can tell you the outcome of that. A very angry teenager. He loves his mother, but often asked me (his teacher) if I made lunch for my own son every day. He wanted to know what life at my house was like. Yeah, let's punish the kids so the parents will "step up". His mom was doing the best she could IMO. I don't know who some people are that they judge. I wonder if they have ever been hungry or lonely. Seriously.

Not pp here.
See, these are the kids that I believe these programs are targeted at. And, I have no issue with that. Give the family a “hand up” so that they don’t need to fret about everything in their lives.
But, that is not what is happening. Instead, it is free food for all..... presumably so we don’t “stigmatize” kids who have real need.
There has to be a better way and a more efficient way to use the funding.

Do you really believe that the children of 1 percenters will leave their fancy lacrosse and sailing camps, and trudge across the county to get a free hamburger? No. They'll take Mummy's AMEX to Five Guys. Or they'll just stay at the club, and have Victor bring them a sandwich and an Arnold Palmer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, as bad as it sounds, letting the kids suffer is the only thing that might get these "parents" to step up. Enabling bad behavior like this has failed to work for how long now?


As bad as it sounds....punishing the kids for the income limitations of the parents. Do you not get that not everyone has a privileged background. If you earn minimum wage, you can not dig out of it. You can not afford the education to earth the money to support your kids properly.

God I hate people like you. You assume people choose to be poor. Donald did not choose to be rich; he was born into wealth. Today, to make it, you almost certainly need an education, which costs money. If you do not have the money, your kids go hungry, and will be required to borrow out the wazoo for education. Now, if because of your poverty, your credit is not good, well f*** the kids.

+1 I had one student who was an only child. Only a mother who worked day and night to just keep a place rented. Do you think it's really healthy for that kid to be alone with no food hour upon hour in a rundown apartment somewhere? I can tell you the outcome of that. A very angry teenager. He loves his mother, but often asked me (his teacher) if I made lunch for my own son every day. He wanted to know what life at my house was like. Yeah, let's punish the kids so the parents will "step up". His mom was doing the best she could IMO. I don't know who some people are that they judge. I wonder if they have ever been hungry or lonely. Seriously.

Not pp here.
See, these are the kids that I believe these programs are targeted at. And, I have no issue with that. Give the family a “hand up” so that they don’t need to fret about everything in their lives.
But, that is not what is happening. Instead, it is free food for all..... presumably so we don’t “stigmatize” kids who have real need.
There has to be a better way and a more efficient way to use the funding.

Do you really believe that the children of 1 percenters will leave their fancy lacrosse and sailing camps, and trudge across the county to get a free hamburger? No. They'll take Mummy's AMEX to Five Guys. Or they'll just stay at the club, and have Victor bring them a sandwich and an Arnold Palmer.

So many mean and innacurate stereotypes coming from people on BOTH sides of this argument.