How to Help Feed Needy Children During School Closings
School closures are a problem for anyone facing it during a pandemic. But for low-income families with food insecure children, this can be more than one big and long-term inconvenience: it can be harmful.
During the school year, more than 30 million students participate in the National School Lunch Program , which provides free or discounted meals for low-income, homeless, or foster children. While many school districts are struggling to find ways to continue to provide food for these students, food is often handed out in the middle of the day, which means a guardian will have to drive them to school to pick them up.
For many families, this is simply not possible now. As such, these children need our help so that they can continue to eat and feed regularly during the coronavirus outbreak.
Think locally
If you really want to make an impact, start by searching your own community. Visit your local food bank website as well as their social media pages to see what their biggest current needs are. You can also start a Facebook fundraiser for your local food bank to give them an extra boost.
Look for information in your child’s school district about the methods administrators are using to provide children with access to food. Encourage them to come up with innovative ways to continue to interact with the children, for example, through food and drink dispensers at various locations, or by having bus drivers deliver food along their regular routes.
Share the #SAVEWITHSTORIES campaign
Actors Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams launched #SAVEWITHSTORIES in support of Kids Don’t Hungry . Garner and Adams share their favorite children’s books on Instagram and Facebook – along with other famous people – to spread the word and attract donations to the organization. You can donate directly to the campaign here, or make a one-time donation of $ 10 by texting SAVE to 20222.
According to the program’s website , here’s how these donations will help support children who lose access to healthy meals during school closings:
No Kid Hungry has a plan to ensure they have access to food by providing emergency grants to food banks and community groups, calling on Congress to increase SNAP funding for low-income families, channeling resources to the hardest hit communities, helping families find food when schools are closed and continue their work to provide each child with three meals a day.
In addition, Save the Children is committed to providing books, teaching materials, games and toys to children whose schools are closed in low-income communities.
Support America’s Feeding
To support food banks across the country, you can also donate to Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and nutrition programs.
You can donate directly to Feeding America or use the search page on the organization’s website to find a food bank near you.