 CNN’s “In Focus” series explores ways people are giving of their time, their resources and their love. Watch the CNN photojournalist special “Giving in Focus” Christmas Day at 4 p.m. ET. Heaping platters of turkey, bowls of gravy-slathered mashed potatoes, endless pies and more than plenty for leftovers; for millions of children across the United States, a meal like this is as far-fetched a Christmas fantasy as Santa actually dropping down their chimney. Winter break is anything but a wonderland for children in many of the nation's estimated 44 million food insecure families, who rely on school lunch for sustenance. Nearly 16 percent of US households with children were food insecure during 2009, according to the most recently published United States Department of Agriculture figures, meaning that they did not have consistent access to adequate food for active, healthy lives for all household members. CNN Money reports that 14 percent of the nation's population - or 1 out of 7 people - is now living on food stamps. The kids, he said, often show up hungry. "They'll polish off their meal, but they're allowed to get a second meal in public school - it's called a 'hungry meal.' It's generally a sandwich - peanut butter and jelly or cheese - and there are always those good-hearted lunch people who will give the kids whatever they want, which I think is a great thing. I wouldn't be surprised if the kids took that extra sandwich home with them - and you'd be surprised to realize how many of the lunch workers are hungry at home themselves." Hunger, to put it plainly, hurts. A fact sheet published by national non-profit hunger relief organization Share Our Strength outlines the physical and academic perils into which food insecurity places children - including more frequent illness and hospitalization, slower recovery times and impaired learning ability. It takes an emotional toll as well, with increased behavioral problems, levels of aggression and anxiety, more frequent suspensions and difficulties getting along with other children. They're not the only ones taking the stress home with them at the holidays. Donald Miller, who oversees public relations for Island Harvest, the largest hunger relief organization on Long Island, is seeing tremendous shortfalls in the program's resources this year. He told Eatocracy, "Prior to the start of the holiday season – the benchmark would be the number of turkeys requested for Thanksgiving and Christmas and this year, it came in at an astounding 42,000, whereas last year the requests were for about 25,000. We've taken in around 12,000 so far, so we're really behind the eight ball." Island Harvest's supplies come largely from private and company donations, local farmers and food drives. People have less to give this year - and much more need. "People wouldn't think that in a wealthy region like this that there are pockets of hunger. You have people who aren't just unemployed, but are working in jobs that are paying less. People who are underemployed are waiting until the sun goes down to go to the local food pantry and ask for a handout. That's hard for a lot of people to do. The middle class are the new people going to food banks." The 1,600 children who benefit from Island Harvest's Weekend Backpack Program may or may not be aware of the emotional toll is taking on their parents; for the most part, according to the program's CEO Randi Dresner, they're just happy they're getting fed. She said, "The Backpack Program was started a couple of years ago to address the problem of children on free or reduced lunch, who have been identified by their schools as being at risk of having nothing to eat over the weekend." Before school vacations, such as a winter break, the organization doubles the number of packs they send home with kids - effectively offering an extra weekend's work of food. There are four meals in a standard pack. They're paid for, rather than donated, in order to assure consistency, provide for households without access to microwaves, and allow children to prepare the meals for themselves. A typical pack would include two portions of cereal, two shelf-stable milks, healthy snacks such as fruit cups, or healthy cookies or crackers and two lunch meals, such as a tuna or another protein product in a can with a snap-off lid, as well as educational material. Even though the program did manage to distribute 47,000 packs of food last year, Dresner is still aware of the shortfalls. "We know that they're coming up against the holidays, and great - we could feed them for the first weekend of the vacation, but what about the rest of the time? It's an expensive program for us and what we've we been able to do through funding is at least give the kids an extra pack - a little bit more nutrition than they would have had." As for the emotional and social factors, Dresner said they're top of mind for her organization. "It's funny; kids have a different take on the program than their parents might. In the beginning, we used to use the word 'stealth.' We'd find someone in each of the schools who would discreetly give out these packs of food to the kids who were selected to be part of the program." "Soon after, we went in to visit, and the kids were screaming, 'Hey, Mrs. So-And-So! Am I getting my pack of food for this weekend?' They were proud of it. We've even had cases where other kids saw what was going on and came to the faculty to ask if they could become part of it. I'm sure the older students are struggling with it, but in the elementary school, it's really thought of in a whole different way." The need for this supplemental nutrition is hardly going away, and Island Harvest's program is far from the only of its kind. Telepan said that the public school cafeterias in which he operates Wellness in the Schools will be running their usual summer meals-style program to feed hungry students throughout the holidays. This year, Share Our Strength launched the No Kid Hungry program, an awareness and action campaign which works with many other supplemental food programs around the country to provide nutritious, kid-friendly food after school, and over weekends and holidays when school is out. The group has made a public pledge to end child hunger by 2015, but even with President Obama's recent signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act - a $4.5 billion measure that provides more money to poor areas to subsidize free meals, requires schools to abide by health guidelines drafted by the USDA, and increases the reimbursement rate for school lunches - it's an uphill battle and calls for everyone's involvement. "The bill a good start," said Top Chef judge and childhood hunger activist Tom Colicchio, who testified before Congress on behalf of the bill earlier this year - albeit in a larger form. "However, it's just the beginning. This reform is a long way down the road, and it's going to call for systemic change. It's not something that can be solved at the charity level - you can't just go to one event dinner, pat yourself on the back and be done with it." He echoed the sentiment of nearly everyone involved in the cause, "It doesn't just end after the holidays, either. Hunger is a twelve-month problem." |
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I opted to join Libby's Food's virtual canned food drive and raise funds, which Libby's matched for Feeding Ameica – $1 = 14 meals. Feeding America found an additional $1.5 match and our modest effort tallied in with 90,000 meals to help those who are food insecure. A drop in the bucket, but an important one for those 90,000 meals which hit the table. Here's my post: To Give is Devine, Thank you for Giving: My thanks to you for your Corporate Social Responsibility as evidence by your Virtual Canned Food Drive – My thanks to you "To Give is Devine, Thanks for Giving" http://www.burgessct.com/2010/12/hunger-give-devine/
Thank you,
Christopher
@burgessct
Most people on Food Stamps are OBESE. CUT Medicaid, CUT Food Stamps, and CUT Welfare and people will find ways to Work to Feed Themselves. STOP the Democrats from Stealing from the Hardworking Taxpayers to give to the Lazy, Obese, Deadbeats on Medicaid, Welfare, and Food Stamps.
I am proud to work with a program called Nourish the Children. I do my small part and encourage others to do the same. Because I remember what it was like to go to bed hungry. If we each reach and and do what we can each day and keep marching forward together we can make a difference. Live with Intention, DrBillToth.com/blog
Samantha = troll. Before you say another word, you need to open your eyes and read every post on the board. Those who NEED food stamps try to stretch their allotment to last the whole month. While filling, mac/cheese, potatoes, dry beans, TV dinners, freezer entrees, etc are only marginally nutritious and high in salt and fat, thus contributing to health concerns. So what is the option? Eat healthy half the time and starve the rest, or eat what you can afford throughout the month? Live off of mayo and saltine crackers for 4 days and then tell me how it feels. Never mind, I already know.
Please google "starving children pictures" and get some perspective. Children in this country, regardless of socioeconomic background, grow up to be big and tall with straight legs and not to mention sexually matured quite early. I just don't see a problem here.
When I was a kid, my parents often told me to finish my plate because there are starving children in Africa. I see starving children in Africa who look like literally skin over bones, and I see the children in the poor neighborhood of this coutry grow to be big and strong and muscular. And I ask myself, is there really a problem here, or is there a problem of people getting used to being over-fed?
I teach 2nd grade in a low-income school...my kids are always hungry. They get school breakfast (it's a joke...not enough food to fill them up for a day of learning) and lunch (another joke). There are rules to breakfast (only 1 milk/juice/food item per student) but I let them have as much as they want of the milk and juice and have to raffle off the rest of the food because there is not enough to go around. The cafeteria is just going to throw away the leftovers. They also get a fruit/veggie snack every other afternoon. A lot of my students take it home for their siblings. It makes me sad to think that they may not be getting enough to eat during the winter break. I think I've found my cause...
Democrats are thieves that steal from the Hard Working Taxpayers to pay for their misguided Welfare and Food Stamps for the lazy and deadbeats. Quit Stealing from the Hard Working, and get a JOB. Democrats deserve the high unemployment of 9.8% for Voting in Harry Reid with 14% unemployment in Nevada. Enjoy the Consequences of your Vote.
People on Food Stamps are OBESE because they are too lazy to make and prepare healthy foods at home. People on Food stamps can eat bananas, apples, tuna fish, sphaghetti, marooni/cheese, Peanut butter/jelly, whole chickens, and many healthy foods at home. Instead, Lazy deadbeats on Food Stamps prefer to buy fast food at the expense of the Hard Working Taxpayers, and the Naiive Democrats.
the little fat girl doesnt look like she has missed too many meals
Maybe Food Stamps should be Reduced so that people on Food Stamps will be healthier. Reduce Food Stamps and we save money and people will be healthier. A Win/Win for all.
MinnesotaMom My sympathy to you and your children. Maybe you will grow a Skill and Independence and quit being a moocher. Maybe you can instill some self reliance in your children. Maybe you shouldn't have had children.
@samantha for your information I am a teacher in the public school system so I have a skill, I was married to my kids father for 13 years before he decided he no longer wanted a family. He walked and disappeared leaving me with the house and the kids. So again you jump right to conclusions that I was uneducated when that is not the least bit true. I have a masters degree in elementary education and a BA in communications. I only prepare healthy foods for my kids and Im not sure where you are from but in this state you cant use food stamps for fast or prepared foods. I am a good mother that has done the best I can do with what I have. We dont have the extras no cell, no cable, and we borrow the neighbors internet. We shop only at thrift stores. I used to be like you looking down on people but learned the fall from where you are is hard and fast. I do not believe that people should live on the system as I plan to get off as soon as they can track down my deadbeat ex. Yes people abuse the system everyday but that is not the case for everyone. I collect no other benifits from the state other then the food stamps. I as a kind hearted person value your opinion but just wish that you could see that not every situation is the same.
@Samantha...I am by NO means obese not that it is your business but I am 5 foot 10 and weigh 130 lbs and my girls are all petite kids. I do not buy junk food and my girls eat fruit and veggies as snacks.Its narrow-minded people like you that produce mean and bullying kids. I am in noway a lazy deadbeat I work hard everyday just as I am sure you do so all I ask is you dont judge people until you actually take the time out of your self obsorbed life to look past the sterotypes and just maybe you will grow a heart.
I have not seen a Single Person on Food Stamps who is NOT OBESE. CUT Food Stamps and people will be healthier and NOT OBESE. The Government Steals from the Hard Working Taxpayer to Make the Lazy, Deadbeat OBESE with Food Stamps. Then the Government Steals from us again to pay for Obamacare Welfare Medications to reduce blood pressure and heart disease.
CUT FOOD STAMPS now and people will be less obese. Food Stamps should only be available to those that are NOT OBESE. The Hard working taxpayers are tired of the Lazy Welfare/Food Stamp deadbeats from STEALING from the Hard Working. Get off your couch and get a JOB.
“The reason healthier diets are beyond the reach of many people is that such diets cost more. On a per calorie basis, diets composed of whole grains, fish, and fresh vegetables and fruit are far more expensive than refined grains, added sugars and added fats. It’s not a question of being sensible or silly when it comes to food choices, it’s about being limited to those foods that you can afford.”
Energy-dense foods not only provide more calories per unit weight, but can provide more empty calories per unit cost. These foods include French fries, soft drinks, candy, cookies, deep-fried meats and other fatty, sugary and salty items. The review shows that attempting to reduce food spending tends to drive families toward more refined grains, added sugars and added fats. Previous studies have shown that energy-dense foods may fail to trigger physiological satiety mechanisms – the internal signals that enough food has been consumed. These failed signals lead to overeating and overweight. Paradoxically, trying to save money on food may be a factor in the current obesity epidemic.
(((Samantha you are sad little person with a boring evening ahead of you)))
heres an idea for starving kids!
take all them dead beat parents who aint sending support
take all those criminals serving time....
and lets make em work on farms,or in food manufacturing warehouses for free , to make up for all the assistance the state must give their kids or the families they hurt....
and lets give those checks they would be making to the kids who can't eat cause their moms lost their jobs and their dads skipped town(or vice versa)
and if the guy(or gal) had a dozen kids and works making tuna or farming corn till they drop so be it!
wonder if this would even be a problem if it weren't for dead beat parents and thugs!
why don't the government bring back work programs of some sort like my in laws told me about from the great depression.
people who don't have jobs donate their time per their skill (teacher,carpenter whatever) and all that food that rots on the farms or all that unused land that farmers get paid to grow nothing in becomes a huge comunity garden, the food of course being shared with the volunteers and their families!
Also why don't the accounts of jp morgan and some of the other big names that took tax payer money but did nothing to help get frozen and all the money they got be given back to the american people in the form of stimulus checks!
I mean some high paid execs might have to forgo a spa day but hey..... whats fair is fair right? and while we are at it, lets make em pay it back with fines for lying and interest!
I gave food and goods to an American charity, and my husband will send a small check (what we can afford) to a charity we know gives to those who need it most and require drug screening for citizens only in order to benefit from it....
I give supplies to my kids teachers for those kids that don't have pencils(and not necessarily cause they can't afford them,sometimes just cause their parents won't buy them )
But beyond that I put my family first, besides what we could afford to give... and I won't give any appoligies for it...
we lost it all, and we came back better and wiser from it.....
But I can't tell you how many folks I see lining up for the free this or that in town with a designer purse in one well manicured hand and a ciggerette in the other! and yeah i'm going there!!!
I know not all those in poverty are like this, but I know quite a few that are! They do it cause they know the system wont let their kids starve, and they play it up to the nines while other folks who really need it can't get it...
and dont even get me started on the those women with anchor babies with daddies that work under the table off the record and sneak into the housing project unknown to the government, and making the kids lie and say daddy don't live with them ! Don't get me started on the poor middle class who have always bashed the true poor and now have a taste of it themselves and are boo hooing all over themselves about it......
people have been poor for ever, the middle class always bashed em,and now them are them! hahahahah get a crock pot and frigging deal!
What can you do?
wclemons@gmail.com
I am a single mom of 3 all my childern have the same daddy whom I was married to for 13 years until he decided this was not the life he wanted anymore. I work hard and hold down a full-time job but still at the end of the day I am unable to put food on my table after paying the mortgage, electric and oil bills.I in noway wanted this life for me nor my kids so for all you people who believe all us "freeloaders" are looking for a handout that is not always the case its the last think I wanted to do. I had a good life before it came crashing down and what people need to remember is that most people are one major crisis away from needing help. Before you ask, No I do not have cable, a house phone, a cell phone or my own internet. I do not smoke, drink or do drugs. My childern are well taken care properly raised and always clean. People need to stop the sterotyping and realize that not all people on foodstamps are lazy, shiftless people. I tried to and am currently still trying to gain help from the kids father and when I do so I will beable to come off of the program. So for all you heartless people just remember your perfect world might not always be so perfect so stop looking down on others.
Hunger should be illegal. Anyone who is found to be hungry should be arrested and executed.
for those who want to help: donate food,money and goods for a tax write off. it helps someone else as well as yourself.
for those who need help...stop smoking,stop drinking,stop having unprotected sex, cut off cable and the internet.
buy a ten dollar crock pot and learn to use it....beans and rice are dirt cheap, and sunflower market or your local grocery store always has dried and fresh goods on sale...just buy whats on sale. Crock pots are easy, you throw some veggies, water and beans or cheap meat in a pot with salt and pepper on low for 12 hours and slow cook.
My family eats like this for $2 a night! learn to embrace hot cereal and powdered milk!
when we were broke we ate oats in the morning, pbJ in the noon and crock pot soup at supper time all for the clear cost of $5 a day for a family of 4! and we cut off all the non neccessities until times got better. we bought our cloths at good will and pinched our pennies till they screamed...and we sure the heck did not have more kids we couldn't afford to feed. no one smoked or drank(still don't) and the public libriariy or walking was our entertainingment. Makeup and fake nails were unaffordable, but hey as long as your clean, and your hairs pulled back in a bun it all works out.
Some of these folks smoke $400 worth of cigs, drink,have cable, get fake nails , pay for more house than they can afford....
down size,walk more,do without,make soup and you'll be ok....I totally promise!
how about this,
Lets stop fighting other countries wars, stop giving free food,housing and education and wellfare to illegal immigrants and cut the fat in washinton and sit down and take care of our folks. But do let us drug test people getting welfare and other benefits, do let us ban ciggerettees from their daily spending. I've known smokers who are on welfare.....and if they quite smoking ($400-$500 a month) that money could easily go to food. not to be harsh, but its true.....lots of folks on welfare who are illegal and or smoking or doing dope.
I can understand this, I have no kids but I will say it is tight. I Have alwasy worked since I was 16 years old, now at 22 I am unemployed, Have three pepole living in the house with me and its hard. State of Illinois gives me $74 dollars a week in unemployment and $137 a month in foodstamps. It dosent even cover my rent let alone electricity. Food, is gone in a week, however I have 2 have a letter from the link office to go to the local food pantry. I go in to the office and I get well you just got your benifts so I cant give it to you. O ok ma'am no problem me and my family will just go starve in our home with no heat. Welcome to the United States, The rich get Richer the poor need to crawl in a corner and die, o but we need to send money to hati wouldnt want pepole thinking we dont care!!
I do agree we should give to our own before we can take care of another country. we also should stop giving to illegals as well. any one in this country getting help should be a citizen, and other countries problems should be put on hold till we can take care of our own. we can't feed our neighbors(other countries) until we can feed ourselves(usa) kinda mean of me to say but I think a lot of you might agree. I feel for Haiti, but until we eliminate hunger and joblessness here, I think its irresponsible to give our tax money over there. If the rich wanna donate over there and thumb their nose at their fellow citizens so be it, but our tax money should stay RIGHT HERE....and ,all those mortgage companies and banks that got a bail out should pay back the tax coffers they took from.....and it should go back into the hands of the Americans and back on our tables!
As a middle school teacher I see this all the time. There are so many more students who need this aide than who are allowed to apply for it. Many parents are too ashamed or proud to apply for this because they work so hard to try and provide for their children. I and many of my colleagues regularly give away our lunches to kids who need it. Trust me, I know that I can afford to skip a meal here and there. We keep a desk drawer stocked with simple foods like raisins, cereal bars, crackers, juiceboxes, etc. that we pay for ourselves. We do this not because we want the credit, slap on the back, or even "good job" but because we simply can't imagine not doing it. If I can make a difference I do. I'm not a hero, not better than anyone else, and not expecting others to do the same. I'm not complaining–I can fortunately feed my family and give up a few other things to make sure the kids who need it definitely have something when they are hungry. My kids do not take advantage of this–most will never ask. Instead I casually ask if anyone wants an apple or other snack every once in a while. I know that no matter what I offer, even if it's a granola bar, the kids who need it most will volunteer. I know that if they are feeling sick or hungry they can trust that we will be able to help them without making them feel ashamed. I believe that as a human, this is my job–to help take care of those who can't help themselves. I know that one day I may need this same help–and that I hope others may support me if that time comes.
Finally, a post that seems based in a sense of truth.
Honor the true teacher for they aspire to a better tomorrow.
Stay true to your beliefs!
You are a wonderful person. :)
All this bashing and no real solutions. Americans should take care of Americans first and stop sending our money to foreign countries. I blame the federal government and all the politicians for the mess we are in, not the kids. If you really want to point fingers start with the top and go down.
I thought skinny was heAlthy, not starving. Can't have it both ways!
Yes, because as we all know, if something is not one thing, it's definitely the exact opposite. What's gray?
We're not talking about kids on a diet–we're discussing kids whose stomachs grumble all day, who are HUNGRY–not like you who between a meal says "I'm hungry," but instead think (and not out loud for fear of shame) "I wish I had something to eat."
I hope the US government is happy. Where can I steal something for the kids? Pure BS¤ We are fighting wars in far away counties and donating time food and $ to other counties as our legal aliens hurt. We feed and take care of the illegal aliens while are legal aliens starve. Why does the government continue to let illegal alliens in to take jobs from the hardworking hungry americans??? I have been looking for a job for 3 years now??? Wtf .. Illegal aliens with fake ss numbers makeing more money nd giving jobs to other illegal aliens... Pure bs. Let's do something now.
Are Food Stamps just “Frequent Starver Miles” by another name?
I see they have lauded the attempts to remove the “stigma” from what is essentially the new welfare, and it is a HORRIBLE idea.
If we do not stop this, one of the last means of compelling people to work shall be gone. Shame is needed or we shall end up with another generation of children who believe it is ok to take something for nothing.
I have more respect for those who deal drugs or prostitute themselves, because at a minimum they are showing some initative.
Ur an idiot!
Truth hurts don't it?
I shall eat an additional portion of steak this evening, and dwell on the fate of the hungry.
We have been hearing this same drivel for generations, yet you all fall in line. Well I got bad news, Micheal Jackson didn't want to feed kids, he just wanted to rape them, and anyone who gave so much as a nickel to that or any other opportunistic holiday charity was simply trying to overcome some inherent guilt. I on the other hand, have no false beliefs in charity.
nothing screams education and intelligence so much as the person who attacks those that cannot defend themselves. nice... the article is about those in dire need, and you're worried about someone who died last year. i can see the Class oozing from your comments.
Actually just playing the devils advocate. Anyone with more than a few years on this miserable ball of dust has heard this drivel for most of the last century.
This false compassion is cruel. Theese people need to understand that if they don't stand up for themselves, they will go under the bus.
It is not cruel to tell the truth, it is childish to lie to ones self that anything shall be done, but it is truely cruel to teach the next generation to believe in the same lies. Americans have let generations die uneducated infirmed and miserable lives, and this bulls**t forum wont change a damn thing
Fight or starve, it's up to them.
I see some of you talking about restaurants and local businesses giving food away to shelters, my cousin was working for Jack In the Box when they closed down 10 of the locations in the nashville and mid tn area. Besides the fact they only gave the employees a 24 hour notice they were unemployed, they threw out a HUGE amount of food. I mean lbs of it. Anything that was opened. And the employees were told to take it out to the dump and pour bleach on it so "trashpickers" and "homeless" wouldnt touch it. That food could of helped so many out. I use to eat there once a week, i dont bother with the company anymore.
while i agree with your sentiment, what a lot of people dont realize is this: companies that give away food to the homeless actually open themselves up to lawsuits. should any of those homeless that eat the 'extra' food become 'sick', the company/restaurant is liable for it. i dont agree at all with the sitauation, but it's there. i have friends in the food industry and all it takes is ONE person to bring a case like this to court and it literally kills it for the rest. sad, but true. even if it's put in the dumpster and considered trash this can happen. remember the article a few days ago about suing for mcd's toys?? same avenue.
aside from that, it's a sad world we live in where people condemn the needy here at home but give freely to foreign countries.
Yikes, this poll is just brutal.
There's only 2 rounds left-Here's some smelling salts. Now go out there and knock 'em on their Butts!
LMAO!!! Just took care of Ken too, on lunchtime poll. He was picking on Jdizz. :(
There are different issues in different areas. In some areas kids are hungry because the parents truly have nothing. In my area most people have enough resources but they squander them. We still need to provide for the kids but the parents are a big part of the problem.
Can everyone stop talking about the stupid picture?? Geez!
I Luv smart girls with chocolate frosting on their lips.
I luv men who bring me cherry pie...delightful!
O.K. I have received a severe paper cut and must leave immediately for cherry pie-I mean the nurses office.
Isn't it ironic that the starving little girl on the front page of CNN is clearly obese. I guess the McDonalds happy meal diet doesn't work. $1.89 cents for a pound of apples is cheaper than a value meal. It's about good parenting people, even if you are poor.
Wow! Less than 30 minutes myself and many other people mock the hypocracy of showing an obese child who is supposedly "starving", CNN changes the cover with a forks and knives placement. She is only starving in her lack of proper parenting. Most families in America who are "starving" are too ignorant and lazy to do the right thing and educate themselves and their children about a healthy diet. And before you think I am some teaparty, Sara Palin-loving moron fraud, I am a liberal Democrat and have earned a Masters degree in Education
Damn right!
I was without income for 2 months after being laid off from a job that not eligible for unemployment (non-profit, church related) , applied for food stamps, and was told 'no problem!' Now supply these 20 documents, notarized letters, etc and you will get your food stamps. Did all that. Then was told I needed MORE documents. Did that. Then I was told one I submitted wasn't good enough and by that point, my deadline was past and was DENIED. Mind you, I had NO income, and they just couldn't accept that I had NO money coming in. How was I paying my bills then? Well, fool, I wasn't! Friends and family helped pay some bills, gave us groceries, etc, and my landlord was compassionate about the rent. By the time I got a job and had to wait to be paid, it was almost 3 months, and I know I was lucky that it didn't take longer. Thank God for friends, family, and church families that gave me assistance when I needed it, because the government sure didn't, even when I was qualified and needed it. I have a feeling if I had been foreign, or had kids, I wouldn't have had the same problems. I know too many people that walked out with them on the same day. But as someone who has worked since graduating from college, didn't look needy enough, apparently. The hoops were ridiculous. If it weren't for those people that helped me out, I WOULD have starved, because the government sure didn't help me. So, I think the system is crap. I think we the people should step up as individuals to get this job done. The government will paperwork itself into the ground. Those who need it, don't get it, while we fall over ourselves helping those of questionable citizenship. And believe me, my views on such things were much more liberal before this all happened than they are now. Take it out of the governments hands. Helping each other is a private matter, and works best when it's local people helping each other. We just have to open our eyes and see that, and realize as humans we need to help each other out, not rely on the government to do it.
You work for the church, get laid off, and then thank the church for its charity?
Betcha if your preacher buddies hadn't raped all thoose little boys and gotten sued, they might have kept you on a little longer!
Hey, CNN, next time you stage a photo on kids who are allegedly going hungry, at least pick one that looks emaciated, not obese!
Donating food is easy, try it some time.
If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em. Pretty simple. Even little birds with the tiniest of brains have the sense to build a nest before they lay any eggs. Also, the little girl in the photo on the CNN home page looks like she's had too MUCH to eat!
I remember being 12 years old and walking along the Math corridor of my school and fainting because I hadn't eaten in 3 days. I was raised by a single mother who fell on hard times after being laid off by GM.....She did her best, but it was tough. She was finally able to get assistance and we were grateful for that. It is my prayer that NONE of the condeming folks on this site have to experience hunger for themselves or there children. It is so easy to be judgemental when you have never been in a situation such as this. Honestly, going through that tough time helped in making me a compassionate person and I give as often as I can because I can see myself in those children.
Thank you for your post. Civility and compassion seem to be in rare supply these days.
where is the 'Like' button
Causes like these deserve out full support.
"Food Insecure Families"? Food Insecure? Really? How are these families having kids if they are so "food insecure?"
God this is retarded...
What exactly is "retarded" about American children starving?
Huh?
If your looking for retarded kids try Fox. For starving Muslims try MSNBC.
This is CNN, we only do the food insecure here!
It's actually pretty funny.
Go away vapor.
Last year, Americans were joining the food stamp program at an average rate of 20,000 a day; in 2010 the rate jumped to 22,000 a day (USDA.gov, 2 December 2010). If you need a better statistic to make this feel real, consider this: nearly one in four children are what agencies now label as "food insecure" (SesameWorkshop.org, 23 November 2010).
The families who have been hit hardest during the Great Recession are in the thoughts of those of us who are faring better this year. There is a deep level of concern among Americans about hungry children and families in distress. This year, the concern is translating into action. Those of us who can feel the economy improving (if ever so slightly and slowly) are reaching out to help the less fortunate. Covio.com reports that 74% of consumers plan to give to charities this holiday season and online donations will increase by an astounding 30 percent from 2009.
There is a very interesting convergence occurring here. On one hand, consumers are looking for acts of kindness from brands in the marketplace. On another front it is reported that American corporations have more cash in hand than at any time in history. At the intersection of these trends, consumers are watching to see which brands behave like them. Smart brand leaders know actions speak louder than ads. Those company leaders should be going out of their way to lock arms with their best consumers to help organize and fund efforts to help America's distressed families.
The brands that mobilize to help the least fortunate will not only be doing the right thing, they will capture the hearts and minds of their best consumers for the long run. After all, brands are about relationships — and relationships are about caring.
Not to be heartless but when my family and I needed help we were told no, but lots of money went to other countries and to illegals. LOTS of Americas money went to banks and mortgage companies and other earmarks that didn't help the situation at all....
Greedy Americans are not to blame....greedy banks,mortgage companies who didn't do what they said they would and greedy government ear marks is what did this. sure some did this to themselves, but I believe only a few.
Yeah other families are starving, and I feel for them and I give when I can.... but I take care of my family first, because in my experience...when we needed help...no one did...so we gotta take care of ours and the rest of you should do the same and take care of yourselves, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO!
How many are illegal aliens?
So.
The human race is quite similar to other types of vermin. They will ALWAYS reproduce in excess of available resources. If you feed them, they will make more. Those who are starving now shall breed liters more if they are fed. Hunger motivates and we do NOT want motivated poor mobs now do we?
Food insecurity is a lie. When insecurity is measured outside of an economic paradigm, it is useless. You could give millions of the insecure access to all the food they wanted, of any variety and all that would be used would be Cheetos and Captain Crunch. What this is really about is poverty and ignorance. Food stamps are merely a mechanism to keep the have-nots from killing the haves, not any actual attempt to end the poverty. It is as old as time!
If someone is below a poverty level due to incapacity or other mitigating factor their children MAY deserve a chance, but if they live below our standard by choice, who are we to intervene?
The only logical thing to do is for ALL of us to apply for food stamps. Then you can give away your free crap if you like. Orgy of free food and everyone is invited!
This way the USDA gets to give it’s payola to Big Agriculture, the Dem’s get to feed the minorities, and the GOP get to feed the red necks. It’s a win-win that should buy us a few more years till the whole damn thing collapses.
Woah...woah...stop using logic, reason and science. It is so much easier to not think and just give...it makes everyone feel better and never solves the actual problem.
lol
To all you fools sayn its the parents fault, they are horrible etc, u are not completly right. Yes, some do abuse the programs, some are at fault, but for some, they can't help life. Take it from a single mom that's been hit hard recently. From losing my job, eviction, homless, to now having a home, some of these programs are a God send. Some of us have just been hit hard & need a little help to get back on our feet. So, quit being so damn judgmental!
Single mom? I guess you must have been absent during that abstinence education we spent millions on?
Find a mate, cooperate and get ahead. It is not fair to your kids for you to pretend you can do it all on your own. You obviously can't.
I agree people need to learn when to prostitute themselves. shame on single Mom's , I hope when her husband passed away he knew that, what an asswipe
I find it interesting that so many who consider themselves conservatives, and by extension, religious people, seem to miss some of the biggest points that Jesus makes in the Bible. Jesus devoted most of his life to helping and serving the poor and he encouraged others to do the same. He did not spend a lot of time trying to help the rich, ostensibly because they had done quite well in helping themselves. There will always be some people who will need part-time or lifelong assistance. I volunteer for a horseback riding program for disabled kids and I see children who will never be "earners" so by the definition upheld by many of you so-called "religious" people, these kids should not exist. The funny thing is that many of you also oppose abortion. If you have money, a job and your health, then consider yourself blessed and be grateful because any one of these things can be taken away at any time. Your great job will disappear if you come down with cancer and you cannot work any longer..and you just may be the one on Medicaid and food stamps. Certainly this difficult economy has destroyed the livelihoods of millions of hardworking Americans who are not lazy or unmotivated.
Yes, there are some people who take advantage and our government does a lousy job of separating those out from the undeserving. That is where the improvement needs to be made. It is always better to teach those who are able to fish for themselves, as the Bible so ably demonstrates. Some people do make poor choices that contribute to their troubles; others are born into a bad or abusive situation and do not know any better. One cannot always fully assess someone's situation based on a snapshot of them when they are in the grocery store or gas station. It is two separate issues as to what needs to be done to keep someone alive (food etc.), versus what needs to be done to make them independent and educated so that they can find a decent job. Many of the poor do have jobs, sometimes multiple jobs, but when you factor in the high cost of housing, transportation (reminder-how much was a gallon of gas 7 years ago versus now?) and medicine, then they do not have enough to meet their needs. Much of the improvement needs to start in our schools...teaching kids both the skills they need to compete in this economy and also teaching them values, such as how to treat others as themselves. Many of the issues we face are due to selfishness...a deadbeat dad or a predatory banker would be two examples of how this behavior affects us all. Kids need to learn to respect each other and to make good choices...and these do not need to be taught in a religious context as the supporters for prayer in public schools espouse. These values need to be taught universally and then passed on to the next generation. That will ultimately go a long way to break the cycle of poverty.
This article makes me sad. The last thing a child should be working about is where their next meal will come from. Between the government programs that the democrats support and the generosity of conservative people we should be able to keep feeding our hungry for years to come.
*worrying not working.
WAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I pay enough taxes!
I don't like poor people!
I know someone whose cousin saw someone buy steak with foo dstamps!
I saw a poor person with a cellphone!
I don't like Michelle Obama!
I saw a poor person who is fat!
Good Lord, but get a grip people. What our gov't spend on food assistance is a pittance compared to what gets p!$$ed away. Don't worry, nobody is coming to get your IPhone. Relax.
Huh? You are joking right?
The truth is Food Stamps are often used to buy heroin, cigarettes and intimate services. They become (after depreciation) equivalent to cash. I can assure you prostitutes, dealers and similar professions trade in them EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Whenever you give something to ANY charity, a percentage is diverted to unintended benefactors. The same parents who claim to want to feed their kids frequently want to feed nothing more than their addictions, and regardless of what you give, the children shall remain hungry until they learn to steal, deal or lay down in the gutter for the highest bidder.
If you want to feed kids, feed them, but giving coupons to the parents is too inefficient a method to merit consideration. More often than not, the PARENTS are the problem, and in no way part of the solution.
Some of you folks are crazy. Does the concept of helping those in need really spur so much anger? This is what's wrong with this country...people are spewing hate towards liberals/conservatives when we should be focusing our energy on feeding helpless CHILDREN...
No, but people committing fraud and taking what they don't need causes a lot of anger.
And for good reason.
You holier-than-thou know-it-alls make me sick! I was a divorced mother of 2 who worked 3 jobs, drove a 10 year old Escort, and lived in a trailer park. No cable, no phone. My kids still got free lunches, and we got foodstamps. I spent so little time @ home that my kids started calling the sitter mama. Don't talk about it if you haven't lived it, because you haven't got a clue. I tried planting a garden, but my neighbors helped themselves while I was @ work. I hope they needed it more than we did.
I do not understand this, we have social services, food stamps, wic, angel food networks, commodities, food banks etc. How in the hell do we still have hungry people in this nation? Is it the poor working class who make too much money for stamps? I don't have a problem with a poor child taking extra food home unless the parents have the means to feed them and are doing something else with their food stamps.....
it's fine to feed people – but i'm hard working and get sick of looking at people in the stores with foodstamps that have cell phones hair fixed, fake nails, new clothes, shoes, cigs., beer, and wine. Most of all not a worry in the world. I watch these people take tax payers money and buy steak, shrimp... that working people can't afford. We need to tix this system and make sure that people who needs help get it, and we people stop calling the poor people who want work the needy.
Thank you thank you thank you for pointing this out. I see it where I work every day. These women roll up in a nicer car than I drive with a dooney purse and iphone, and what do they pull out? A medicaid card....
Amen, Lisa. I once worked in a grocery store and watched people with food stamps purchase steak while I could only afford hamburger meat.
Totally agree. I was on FS at one point of my life when I ended up alone with 18months old and still two years away from my degree. I remember it was hard to stretch those stamps and we could not afford much, but my daughter was always fed, FS, WIC – anything to make her comfortable. I see people buying on FS these days in Pathmark, ShopRite – expensive brands of ice cream, frozen pizzas, frozen dinners that could be just as easily made, and I am just in awe where do they get all those FS.
As a child, I can remember my family struggling. My father worked a full time job as well as one or two part time jobs to make ends meet to feed our family of 7. I know it was hard for them to ask for assistance, but they did. I am thankful for my humble beginnings and haven't forgotten that, especially around the holidays. Both my wife and I are successful, and have been very fortunate even through this economic downturn. I know I am in support of these programs, having been there before. Some of the comments on blog are downright nasty...I'm sure there is a really warm place reserved for them when they move beyond...
Family of seven? Hell I have cats that don't pump out that many kittens.
Breed within your means might seem to be the lesson that should have been learned.
So sad. At my kids' elementary school, they are allowed seconds...if they have money in their account. So that means, the kids who can afford food, and most likely go home to a decent meal, can get more food if they are still hungry. I'm not sure what happens to the kids who don't have money, it's a shame if they aren't even given a pb&j or an extra piece of fruit. I don't see how anyone can say no to an obviously hungry child.
Ya about time we did something here. We need to stop helping starving kids in Africa until we have helped ourselves
The hard reality is ... WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THIS ANY MORE!
Yes we can.
There is this assumption that low income families are dysfunctional, chaotic and lazy. Of the 15 coworkers I have, 4 of them are on food stamps. They work 40 hours a week. Why on assistance, you ask? Because they have only a high school diploma and children to feed. Our company pays decent but is very little when it is only a single mother that provides it and three kids that depend on it. Yes, there are drunk, lazy and junky parents, but not always and not most of the time. Our goal is to get these children out of poverty, yes? Well, ensuring that they have full tummies and can function in school to graduate and eventually go to college is a step in breaking the cycle. You simply cannot let these children starve. They are our future, and no matter how their parents got into poverty or how/if they are trying to work their way out is irrelevant. It is the hungry children that need the food. I would not want to live in a country that let's their poor starve to death simply because we want to teach them a lesson, or hope they go away. If that is anyone's frame of mind, SHAME ON YOU!
How selfish can one be..?
Sarah C – Sry – comment not meant for you!
I had to go to a food bank a few times, My husband was deployed and the money he put into my bank account didn't stretch quite far enough when we had unexpected expenses. Many of the other people there were wearing very nice clothes, and had new extensions and acrylic nails. I went with my young daughter and picked up a couple essentials (bread, milk, cheese, pasta and some vegetables), I overheard some other people complaing very loudly that there wasn't any of a specific brand of frozen pizza, I suggested a frozen pizza crust (which was there), marinara sauce, cheese and pepperoni and they looked at me with complete incredulity. As if the thought of making their own pizza had never occurred to them. When I went to the "check out" The girl listed the items I had put in my basket, and told me that I was welcome to take some cookies or sweets for my daughter. I was embarrassed enough to be there in the first place, taking sweets or anything that we didn't NEED would have been unthinkable for me.
I also worked for a long time at a local Emergency Room, and the people on Medicaid were often the WORST. Rude, impatient. Often one mother would come in with her coupon which has all her children listed on it. Five children under the age of six, with three or four different last names. You ask the mother if she's employed and you get a snort and a look of disgust. I believe in helping people, but I give to charities that allow people to help themselves rather than just giving them money.
You out of all the people deserved to have food assistance, your husband was/is in the army and you were ashamed to ask for free food, but those with 5-6 kids by different daddies are not ashamed of anything. They say that "govmnt" owes them.
Isn't that funny?
since when were fruit cups healthy?
At age 5 our son did not want to eat fruits and vegetables. Being concerned we took him to the doctor to find out why. After about 20 minutes the doctor ask what he did eat? After replying the doctor said don't worry he is getting everything he needs to develope. Our son turned out to be 6' 6" tall. About 200 lbs. PB&J entered my diet and for over 65 years I had PB&J for breakfast. At 85 years I still eat PB&J sandwiches. Love'em.
Its good to see Christians showing there true colors today. Its a shame to see what's really taught on Sundays.
The article picture looks like it should be used to discuss our country's obesity problem. She is eating on a regular basis for sure. Our county churches run the Loudoun Interfaith Hunger Relief program. Theybring food to needy folks all over the county. Great work being done.
@ Truefax thats also a good idea maybe it would b the only of knowing who truelly needs the help & who doesnt. I also think that if a parent cant pay 2 feed their child than they should sell their flat screens if they still cant find a job instead of benefiting from all those programs 2 help the poor. quit changing food stamps 2 cash, quit smoking the $$ up, quit seatting around playing $300 video games & get a job & feed ur kids. I can understand if some1 is wrkng & have 2 get food stamps cause they dont get paid enough 2 buy food, hey u still wrkng 2 do what u gotta do. but dont ask for help if u gonna b spending ur $ on luxuries instead of feeding ur kids.
HaHaHa. The Kid in the Picture is a Fatty
Just Like the Global Warming Wackos-It's cold cause of global warming
The kid is FAT cause of global hunger
lololo
This is not an economic problem; it is a political one. The waste and fraud are not at the bottom of the pile, they're at the top.
While I'm in theory on the side of parental responsibility we do both society and these children a huge disservice by refusing to feed them. I'm all for a send the poor food program so long as it's food and NOT money to buy food. We need to change the welfare system where additional kids means more food not more cash. If you give a starving junky $20 to buy food they you will have a high starving junky. If you give a starving junky a sandwich then they will probably eat it after failing to sell if for their particular vice.
The child should never go hungry, even to punish the parents. First off it just won't work as you will have either a stunted/sick child or a dead child. The parents will continue to make them because they just don't care, and the won't care. You may not be able to make the adults care but you can influence the next generation to not repeat the same mistakes. While I think bringing a child into a situation where you can not care for him/her should be a crime so should letting the kid starve.
And before some bleeding heart jack off starts with my elitist attitude. Yes I was there and remember being poor. That's why I made damn sure I never go back. I'm a commercial diver, EMT and MS level engineer. Unless we instill a sense of self respect and drive to excel we are all truly shafted. These can not be taught to a starving person as all they hear is food.
How about we stop sending $$$ off shore and feed our own first.
That's a d&%n good idea.
http://www.togetherwefeed.com is almost like your name, Wegiveitaway ;)
A friend of mine just sent this and I am so stoked to see what will become of it because I too agree with you! I hope people get on board.
looks like the girl for the article has not missed any meals. How can one report say the county is so fat and need food at the same time
Hey Rich, its past lunch time on the east const in the U.S. I haven't eastern anything since last night. Can you tell if I look like I've eaten last night or would you listen for the rumble in my stomach?
More socialism! Let the invisible hand of the market take care of these kids (presumably with invisible food). And if they are wont to die, let them do it and decrease the surplus population, as a great capitalist once said.
If you think I'm being harsh to poor children, just remember that they grow up into poor adults... and we don't give a f–k about them in this country.
I can't believe the negative comments on an article like this. Some people have no heart. God bless the activists and organizations that make sure these poor little souls don't have to go to bed hungry. For those of you who have the heartless nerve to call these children and their families freeloaders, I pray for you. I would rather go hungry than have a heart as black as yours.
Darrell, these fools don't understand that some of the greatest civilization in history fell because of hunger.
The expression black heart seems strange to me. Is putting the words BLACK and HEART together an insult? Is the word ASIAN HEART a insult too? I bet WHITE HEART is a complement.
I bet you believe you're quite sane, Someone that has beliefs that oppose your's is insane and heartless, right? Save your prays, your going to need them.
I believe Darryl was using "Black Heart" to mean a blackened, dead heart. A worthless heart. But, if you're a racist/bigot you'll find a way to turn it around. I agree with Darryl. By the way, Mac, you might was to proofread your posts; your overall ignorance is showing up in your spelling and grammar, as well.
I agree with hungry man. They probably shouldn't have used a chubby child as the face of hunger. What were they thinking?
When I was in high school, I worked in a grocery store. I can think of at least a half dozen occasions in which parents on food stamps advised me to "have lots of kids" because that way you get more assistance. "They don't give you nothing if you only have one or two kids".
You'll forgive me if I have difficulty working up sympathy for those types of parents. Of course we need to make sure that our nation's youth are not starving, but the system we have is fatally flawed and it is creating GENERATIONS of families who haven't fallen on hard times but quite simply want a hand out.
I still feel the burden for those that truly are destitute. I donate money and time to local and international charities that are trying to combat poverty and hunger...but I also recognize that most of what the government does, doesn't make the situation better, it makes it worse.
NYMOM so that's 6 families out of 44 million food insecure families. You've got a longggg way to go to convince me that all $44 million families are spitting kids out just to get food. Lets us know what the rest of them say.
I agree with you completely! The government may understand this but looks the other way. If the gov't really wants to help, they need to teach resourcefulness, not dependency. There needs to be an exchange. What is that saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
@ NYMOM- I couldn't agree with you more! I believe strongly that childern should NEVER go hungry but it's time their parents take responsibility... I do not have kids but if I did I'd work THREE jobs if I had to to make sure they are fed.. people need to stop trying to use the system to be taken care of.. stop being lazy America and do something about your unfortunate situation!
Thank you for your perspective.
@styymy – you are missing/ignoring the point. The implication is that there are other individuals out there committing fraud with thier poor decisions. Not that everyone makes bad decisions.
There's plenty of Food! Overhaul the farming subsidy programs. Not much has changed with subsidies since 1922.
There was an important government policy change a couple of years ago which has drastically altered the situation. When it was decreed that 10% of our automobile fuel had to come from Biofuels, many farmers stopped growing food crops and started growing corn for ethanol production. This resulted in a sharp rise in world food prices, as the center of the US has been the "world's breadbasket" for generations.
That kid on the CNN homepage doesn't look like she is in need of food! Pick a different stock phot next time.
Absolutely no excuse for children in this country to not have food...
As much as we give to other countries like Haiti? To me...feed the US first...if you have any left over..then feed another child in another country.
Take care of your own.
It's funny how they have an over weight child staring longingly at an empty plate. But regardless, no one should have to experience the gut-wrenching feel of hunger.
I dont know if that little girl in the picture should really be the face of "hunger".... that little girl is going to be obese in 5 years...that being said....she may actually be hungry
Too many empty calories, not enough nutrition = malnutrition and starvation.
I find it hard to believe that people think that junk food is more affordable than healthy food. Basics like rice, vegetables, bread, beans, etc. are very cheap and can be stretched. A bag of carrots is under a $1. This is what people ate before they got food stamps.
Rice, vegetables, bread, beans, carrots? What are these alien foods! Maybe McDonalds will engineer these odd foods for us, and sell them for pennies.
Of course those types of food are healthier and cheap, but if I don't know how to cook them, or have the means to cook them, or I'm working two jobs to support my family and I don't have time to cook them, then they are worthless to me...it's easier to get them McD's...
Difficult is not impossible. Everyone has a choice.
No one wants children to go hungry and I understand the concern about creating dependency. There are people who are hurting financially right now, and good food does not come cheap. Help is needed for sure, but there must be an exchange of value. Why not have the folks who are dependent on these programs give back in some way? It does not have to be in the form of money, but these very people can help prepare the meals and deliver them themselves. There must be an exchange of something for there to be value. Instead of educating just the children about nutrition, the parents must be involved as well. After all, its not the kids who do the grocery shopping. We don't want dependency, we want people to be resourceful and be able to help themselves. At least help is there if needed.
Let's love our society, not send it adrift.
This is great and all, but why do we not address the issue of people having children they can't afford to feed themselves? This issue really bothers me and I'm sure I can't be the only one who feels this way. It kills me to constantly see people with 3, 4, 5 kids asking for help and assistance when clearly they just need to STOP having kids! Can we start giving out birth control with these meals?
A hundred years from now, historians in China, the leading nation of the world, will look back and attribute China's climb to world dominance on one simple policy – one child per family. We see it as Draconian now, but the problems we have in today's world, pollution, hunger, conflict for resources, all stem from one problem. We have too many people. The world can't support its own population. And, as productivity increases, we have less and less need for people to do the dirty jobs like farming and manufacturing.
I am sorry but the kid's picture on this article on the home page looks anything but hungry. She is a little pudgy. When I think of hungry kids, I think of kids who are very skinny and malnourished. This kid does not look like she has missed any meals.
Judith good idea...but ppl who dont need these donations r still benefiting from it. I knw of a few restaurants here in Chicago that actually donate leftover food 2 the homeless. @ all those who keep commenting about the cover, just cause a child looks healthy dont mean they aren't struggling. I remember that as a child my mother used feed us fried onions(not onion fries) 4 lunch & water w sugar in it as dinner cause we were going through tough times. so I do understand 1st hand what it feels like 2 look healthy & still have nothing 2 eat. bravo 2 all those helpin out for this good cause.
Rich corporate greedy a**holes who ship jobs overseas to save a buck get enough bonus money to feed every hungry person in this country. But hey, they worked hard for it so any one below them is a deadbeat. The average American throws enough money away on stupid crap like iphones, blackberries, and text messages to feed all of them too. Only when idiots stop seeing each others competition, or a nuisance or a burden or a statistic will there even be a chance to do anything to actually solve social issues. Of course you could always take the other side and say that suffering is part if existence and inherently inevitable and just forget about it and continue about your day.
Hmm... let us see who we shell blame today... hmm... how about corporations?
They should eliminate both food stamp and section 8, it is nothing but a ploy, used to fool people. It is exactly these kind of hand outs that make most tax payers angry, because you see and hear of all the scams by people.
People should have a maximum of two years per life for food stamp and maximum of 3 years for section 8. Than you will have an even playing field who knows maybe the same group will actually want to compete with immigrant labor instead of waiting for hand-outs. Now if churches and NGO's want to help great, but it should be privately funded and not government sponsored. We don't have a hunger problem, its insulting to the people around the world that are in hunger, but than again as American we are hypocrites, so this is no surprise.
What I want to know is where is the help for people who go out and work for a living. It's all my husband and I can do to put food on the table for our two kids. In fact there have been times we go without so the kids have enough to eat. What really pisses me off is to go to the grocery store to buy what little I can and the person in front of us is buying steaks and get this energy drinks with you guessed it FOOD STAMPS. It sucks to have to limit your kids to one glass of milk because you can't afford to buy more.
If it's so wonderful to be on food stamps and section 8, give it a try. Obviously there are abuses, but there is also a need to help some sections of people. Is your arrogance enough to let a single mom and her children with a deadbeat father starve and die in the street. You may not believe it, but even if you were raised in the worst situation you were helped in some way to get where you are....or you would not be there.
And why did that mom choose to have kids with the deadbeat father? Did she believe him to be a good man? Or did she not know about birth control? I can forgive one kid with a deadbeat father – perhaps the mom didn't know him well enough when she got pregnant, and he wasn't what she thought. But multiple kids? Each one takes at least ten months – plenty of time to find out what kind of guy the man is.
The story I hear most often is that women knowingly coerce men into getting them pregnant, either by claiming they are on birth control, or via other sorts of emotional manipulation. They are hoping to "trap" the men into staying around in their lives if they have kids to care for. But these men are not so easily "trapped" – in fact, they often have multiple kids with multiple women. In this case, the woman is as much to blame for the kids' existence as the father, if not more so. She had the opportunity not to get pregnant in the first place – why should we be subsidizing her bad decisions? If she can't even figure out when to use birth control or who'd make a good father, what's to think she is even capable of raising kids to be productive members of society? (Usually she isn't.)
Than help them, if you believe so strong, but don't come and ask the government to help out. I am not arrogant I am dead right about the abuses with these programs. We all know there is a black market going on in food stamps, there is no mystery about people fixing a house and getting it available for section 8 as an extra income.
As an immigrant we did not have these hand-outs, we had to work hard so lazy arse natives like you could benefit. How you like that for arrogance.
Why are people so angry over nothing? Anyone in the worst case scenario that "has kids for the welfare check" is not living any kid of life that you would consider good. It would be a nightmare situation for most people. Guess what, people don't get married anymore. Kids are still popping out, how many single parents do you know. How many divorced couples do you know where the Dad has just left the picture. I hate to say it, but it's more likely than not.
I am not pro-welfare, but I am pro-help to some extent. There is always a limit, but sometimes people need help. I have never met a single mom with 8 kids loving the welfare life, but I have met many single mom's struggling because they have to find care for their children while they try to work. What's funny is most of the people complaining are Jesus loving Christian Republicans. What would Jesus do? He apparently would tell the single mom who made a mistake to burn in hell and starve to death. Also, what do you think social security and unemployment are...they are forms of welfare. Maybe you need to go spend some time with the less fortunate and you may see more scenarios than the worst one you can conjure up.
Good ideas on the limits, but again, I think we need to educate at an early age why and how to get out of poverty. Kids are taught a lifestyle different and become hard wired to think that way. It's been proven what you learn as a child, how you learn, what you understand as right and wrong, affects brain snapses function (electrical impulses and how they travel) and how we reason.
Anyone notice the cover pic kid on the CNN home page was chubby. I love chubby kids, but they don't scream hungry. It's also funny how people may criticize programs to give out really small amounts of Food, but they will shut up when it comes to the billions being laundered out for votes to the various congressman and senators.
As a moderate voter I ask you to look into your hearts when you complain and try and focus on what is a real problem and what is not. If someone wants to take "advantage" of a program and take home a few cans of corn or green beans is not the worse thing in the world. Their life has to be pretty sad in someway for them to do that. People with plenty are not going to do that.
I find it interesting that the picture associated with this argument shows an extremely overweight child. We don't have a quantity issue – we have a quality and common sense issue.
I wish they had this when I was a child.My siblings and I were always hungry. My father died when I was young. There were 5 of us living with a mother who just didn't care. There was rarely ever any food in the house. The only time we got to eat was the free lunch at school. That does not make the kids grow up to be freeloaders. I graduated high school, served in the military, and have never been on public assistance. My kids are grown now and they were never hungry.
GIVE THE KIDS A CHANCE!
the trouble is you are one in a million!
most grow up to be rotten thugs and thuggetes!
There is an awesome organization called Blessings in a Backpack (at http://www.blessingsinabackpack.com ) – celebrities Paula Deen, Hilary Duff, Sammy Hagar and the Goo Goo Dolls are supporters. Please check out the website and see how you can help your school get on the program – needy kids can be helped for an entire school year for an $80 donation.
We pay them for every child they produce. And then we have to follow behind, spend more money, and feed the children we're already paying them support for. And they're the "stupid" ones?
The lead-in picture to this story on CNN.com is a picture of a chubby little girl. A couple of days ago, I saw a TV public service announcement about hunger in America, with obese people lining up for food handouts. I would rather see my tax dollars go to nutrition programs. Even the poor in this country eat too much.
Bottom line: we spend too much time and money worrying about the rest of the world’s problems, so much that we are not taking care of our own. Imagine if we focused our efforts to get ourselves right FIRST!!!
I think it's great to feed kids who are hungry – no one should go without eating every day,especially in a country as advanced as our's. I fully support such programs and their efforts. However, working as a dietitian in a health department, my clients who tell me they "run out of food" and complain they do not get enough food stamps each month .... are also overweight/obese, can buy cigarettes but but not fruits or vegetables, and use their Ipad and cell phone with internet while meeting with me. I preach making priorities, budgeting and providing basic the necessities ... and buying food should be up at the top. It's ironic that in a country who has 14%(+) of its population on food assistance programs, we are the one of the fattest and unhealthiest countries in the world.
Maybe their parents should stop buying illegal drugs and spending their money on the hottest clothes and bling, and get a job, then maybe they would have money for their kids. Or better yet not have them until they are ready and able to care for other human beings. I understand things happen but if you are capable of taking care of yourself and your family you make it work when times and hard, and not mooch off of the government or anyone else. These programs are filled with crooks and freeloaders wanting to take advantage of every good program that is out there.
DON'T CHANGE THE PICTURE!!! THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRATIC WASTEFUL SPENDING! PRETEND THOSE KIDS ARE HUNGRY... FATTEN THEM UP... THEN TELL THE NATION OUR KIDS ARE FAT AND WE MUST INVEST MORE MONEY TO MAKE THEM SKINNY.
The picture is of an EMPTY TABLE, with only utensils. No plate. No food. No fat kid either!
The Caps Lock key is on the left side of your keyboard, just above the Shift key.
Why are the people having the most children the ones who can least afford it? Hungry children happen when parents have children they can't afford. If we feed them, they will grow up and produce more hungry children for us to feed. Eventually there will be more hungry children than we *can* feed. The solution to this problem is to stop giving incentives for poor people to have children. If the parents can't afford to feed their children, take the children away from them, or at least feed the children on condition that the parents don't have any more until they can afford them. If they have another child they can't afford, then sterilize them. We must control this ridiculous population growth of the poorest classes, otherwise it's a ballooning problem. I don't want kids to suffer. But our current solution causes more kids to suffer in the future than are suffering now.
People who make a few bad choices often make a lot of bad choices.
Some people want handouts, but the kids don't know any better. If it isn't corrected now then the kids will grow up with that mentality. They will be expecting someone else to pay for them!! Some people are in really bad situations that they have no control over. But some people are lazy!!************************www.ajwatkins.com "Keep It Moving"****************
Every time I read a story about the various "Weekend Backpack Programs", it brings a tear to my eye. IMHO, it got to be one of the best thought out programs, which really well targets the hungry kids of America. Who ever thought of this, really deserves a Nobel Prize.
Maybe the starving children could eat the obese children. It would kill two birds with one stone.
Maybe if the lazy parents would give up drinking and smokes and their other vices, the kids could have some food. I bet mom and dad have cell phones. Oh excuse me, there is no dad only baby daddys. I agree do not punish the children but I am so sick and tired of free loading adults with their hands out constantly. Show some restraint and learn about BIRTH CONTROL. Raise your own children, don't let others raise them. We need to begin a sterilization program in this country for those who want to be rewaded for having one kid after another. This stupid country just continues to make excuses for these lowl life uneducated welfare suckers. We need to stop this nonsense and give it to the truly deserving who have tried but due to the econonmy are going thru hard times. But these constant generations of black people who refuse to better themselves because they are "owed" is ludicruous. I owe you nothing! No one put a golden spoon in my mouth at birth. Take a low paying menial job like I have for years. If not, get the hell out of MY country, you are worthless to society!
Um, Steve, I think maybe you should reconsider. I grew up with almost nothing to eat and I'm white, my parents were married, and my dad had a great job. He was also a drug addict, an alcoholic, and he was a *strict* disciplinarian. We lived with no heat in Indiana in a tiny house. My brother and I hiked our butts to the wood and pulled up dead ones (luckily there was a wood burning stove in our house). We ate a lot of squirrel because my brother could shoot them year round (squirrel gravy as well). Not every kid who's hungry fits your little cookie cutter image.
Black, white, purple, or pink, life sucks when you are little and have no food. I still remember what it feels like to eat "gravy" (flour, milk, or water, salt & pepper) on top of a potato and think it was terrific to have food. I still remember what if feels like to be "high" from not eating. I became anorexic because then it was my choice not to eat, instead of someone elses.
D*mba**.
Well then that's not a problem with the post you're replying to…perhaps you should look for the article on drug abusive parenting…would fit your bill a lot better.
It is sad for these children that they lack enough food. I think CNN could have chosen a different photograph of a "hungry child" to portray the plight of hungry children. The little girl in the picture looks way too chunky to be hungry.
Oh no..she's hungry all right – just finished a healthy meal and isn't satisfied...that's all...
This story is called, "Hungry at the Holidays" yet the picture that goes with the story is an OBESE child sitting next to an empty plate. Come on CNN editors, you can't be that stupid!
The picture you show is of a very chunky girl, the United States has more overweight people than any country in the world, apples would be good, but we think we have to provide shakes and fries, kids are eating more junk, and unless the money we spend for these children is on healthy food I'm against it.l
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD…CHANGE THE PICTURE!
THAT CHILD COULD EAT MINE!!!
Did ANYBODY notice that the picture of the kid on the main CNN page of this article is a FAT KID??? I am all for feeding starving children...but why did CNN pick a FAT KID for the picture. Seriously, there are many starving kids in America and elsewhere...maybe I would be more convinced about their stats and this article if I could come to grips with the picture.
if you can't pay for em, don't have em.
But how exactly is that the kid's fault? That's why I like these programs like "Weekend Backpack Program". It bypasses the parents completely, and enables the kids to eat a good meal on the weekend. I mean, I don't have to wonder what the parents are doing with my money (my donation). The kids get the food directly, and it is appropriate types of food (not candy and soda, which BTW is allowed with food stamps).
I am an idependant. So here is my take. A child should recieve food at school. I can accept the validity of that arguement. Should food be sent home? No.
Growing up in a home with a drug addict/alcoholic as a father he ate before we ate. My mother would fix food in front of us and put in the fridge for my dad. We were not allowed to touch. Want to feed kids on the weekends? Work out something else where only the child will get it.
Also, while I support reduced/free lunches, it is a bandaid. Children who receive such items should have to participate in programs to educate them how to eat properly, avoid eating disorders, deal with a crummy home life, and change their situations.
Can it be done? Yes. Supervised group sessions for those sorts of discussions could be quite effective. Mentors would help. Not like big brother, big sister, but folks who can answer questions and be supportive without spending every week with a child, folks such as myself who are willing to volunteer, who have pulled themselves up and learned the hard way how to do it.
Don't think it will help? Don't think they will listen? Don't kid yourself. I knew I didn't want to live the lifestyle of my parents but didn't know how to get out. I didn't realize the first time a counselor made me feel like I was sh*t because I was white and asking for help that she was wrong, not me. (She was black and very predujice and my self-esteem was pretty shot to crap). If I had been able to ask someone, they might have said try another counselor, report her to the college, there are work-study programs available, that working in fast-food (any legit job) until you can get somewhere is OK.
The child in the picture doesn't look like she's been starved, she's over weight and needs to loose weight. Why should we spend our hard earned money feeding these irresponsible people, then end up paying for their medical problems when they don't eat correctly and take responsibility for their own health.
FOR ALL THOSE KIDS TEXTING ON MOMMY AND DADDYS PLANS STFU!!!! you have no room. and as to the ones that say get a job.... check the unemployment raitings..... There are health probloms out the that make kids over wait. and for the rest of the heartless, when you live in thier shoes or donate to them then you can have a say in it until then stfu
You must of failed spelling. What a great American school system we have.
Not saying that you're wrong, but you spelled something wrong too!
MUST OF should be MUST'VE.
Belle P that's what I get for typing fast. Thanks for pointing that out
The unemployment in the United States is high because of people like you. No one wants to hire a fool that can't spell or type with correct grammer.
I know a lot of kids that are having issues with money at my high school. Our school provides a lunch card and everything, but of course, how do they get food over the break? It's a really saddening issue, but I'm the president of our club, Project Nourish, and our club continuously raises money throughout the year to provide these families with gift cards to places like Smart and Final and Walmart for them to get food over the break. Sometimes the families refuse to accept them, which is disheartening. They should at least take it for their kids. There's probably pride involved, but when your kids are starving through the winter with no food to eat, you should take it.
I am so pleased that some of our youth is taking action on this cause. At least there are some that care about this and work hard to help their peers.
Our jr and sr high schools here in our small Nebraska town have implemented a strict policy of if you are behind in your lunch account your child will be singled out, removed from the lunch line and given a peanut butter sandwich until the parents pay the account in full.
if you want to stop hunger...dont have kids unless you can afford them. I am tired of paying for other peoples mistakes in life
My children are not mistakes. However, it's clear to me that at least one of your parents' children were.
hello jenny, i dont have kids and am from a well off family so kids as mistakes is not really an issue. I did however go to innercity public schools growing up as my mother was a teacher and didnt believe in private schools. i saw that the people who went without happened to be from poorer families who didnt realize that you can control your life instead of having babies like rabbits. why should i pay my hard earned money for something that shouldnt effect me.
In reading these posts, it amazes me that there are so many perfect people in this country. No one has ever been unemployed, hit by medical expenses, a fire, car accident, or just plain old bad luck And even more amazing, you claim to be christians! Perhaps in this season, you "Christians" might find a moment to read the Bible – the Christ that I was raised to worship instructed us to help the poor and feed the hungry; not make judgements about why they were poor and/or hungry. I guess that point is missed by the "Christians" who worship the fact that THEY ARE BELIEVERS and, therefore, better than anyone else.
This is the only CNN post that has ever actually made me cry. To think of all these commenters, feeling smug and justified in their position that children should starve for the sins of being poor or, god forbid, chubby... it's just further confirmation that our society is riddled with evil.
Prove to the Hardworking Taxpayers that these kids are hungry by showing their BMI (Body Mass Index). You will find that MOST ARE OBESE because they are TOO LAZY to COOK at HOME.
The parents of these "hungry" children still buy cigarettes, alcohol and cable TV. They still live one family per house/apartment. They still only work one job (if that).
When are people going to realize that this is a choice by the parents?
immediate sterilization is the only solution for these worthless vermin!
People like you disgust me. You make these blanket assumptions. My family was middle class, until my husband and I both lost our jobs. Now, we're both working for minimum wage, busting our asses to try and feed and cloth the children we had when, yes, we could afford to. We have sacrificed everything. There are no cigarettes. There is no cable. There is nothing. We have lost our jobs, our house, our dignity. Now, you feel we shouldn't have food to live, either? Sit down tonight and write up a list of the blessings in your life, and really think about what your resources would be if you lost them. People like you, who just decide that the working poor are just lazy, need to realize that you live a charmed life that can be taken from you at any moment. And then where will you be? On foodstamps like the rest of us. It's a very hard fall from your position.
PLACES TO USE YOUR FOOD STAMPS:
MCDONALDS
JACK IN THE BOX
DOMINOS PIZZA
EL POLLO LOCO
This should be illegal.
Ah...The myth of starving Americans......Truly starving people in the U.S. are very few and far between......
Nowhere in the world, and at no place in time has food been more abundant and cheap than in the modern day U.S. Children with nutrition problems have parents with real priority problems or are too stupid to be parents. Compassion is easy, but usually only perpetuates the problem. Its time to completely rethink how we deal with these issues..........
I have a method of feeding hungry children.
STOP HAVING CHILDREN THAT YOU CANNOT FEED.
Finally!!! A voice of reason!!!!!
No! The all mighty lord wants you to bare his children! The lord doesn't care about overpopulation or starvation, you are all his children!
Pliny, you are not alone in feeling that way. Many people consider having children as simply a by-product of having $ex. The Earth cannot support the overpopulation of the species at its continued rate of increase.
How come the kid in the picture about hungry kids is always fat? Maybe skiiping dinner a few nights a week will help their diabetes risk.
Sorry, it just doesn't cost that much to feed a child. Sandwhiches, vegtables, fruit, rice and bread and fish/chicken will only cost $1.00 to $2.00 a meal.
A hungry child means a deadbeat parent.
You need to google the term "Grocery Gap" and educate yourself before making statements like this. Otherwise, you'll just continue to walk around looking like a privileged fool.
Care to explain your point instead of just throwing insults?
Here's an idea. If you are too poor to afford to feed your children, STOP HAVING CHILDREN!
And the people who had children five or ten years ago, before this economic decline? You're not real good with the critical thinking, huh?
You're missing the point. People with kids who loose their jobs are different than people on welfare who get pregnant.
CUT Welfare and CUT Food Stamps. The girl in this picture is Obese. These people need to eat LESS to be healthy. I have NOT SEEN a single person on Food Stamps who is NOT OBESE.
I completely agree! The girl in the photo is obese- great choice of pic CNN?!?!? Obesity in this country is far more of an issue, and should be making more headlines than any other health news!! I understand that there are hungry children out there- but I also know that half of the "food" if that's what you want to call it..... we're putting in their mouths is nothing but garbage. It's child abuse.... and it's not about self esteem.... it's a life or death issue.
Junk food costs less than healthy food. People who ware on foodstamps are on them because they cannot afford food at all. When they receive their foodstamps, which is in many cases much less than you spend on yourself or your family per month, people are more likely to buy a large quantity of poor quality food that will last for the entire month rather than fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious but expensive items that you can afford.
I hope you never go hungry, even though you just expressed your wish for my family to starve.
How about this: If your children are "hungry" they need to be taken from you.
Instead of giving money to deadbeat parents, take the children and provide for them. If the parents somehow get their acts together, then perhaps they can go back home.
Sure growing up in an orphanage or foster home is not ideal, but the children are better off in the long run. A deadbeat parent is far worse and will likely instill a similar patter for the children.
To stop the overcrowding of orphanages. We could cook the orphans and send the meat to starving children! Yum orphan meat
ARGH!!!
My son is hungry during school because he is underweight and the "healthy lunches" they serve at school do not have enough calories for an active 13 year old. I can't pack him hot food, so either he gets several or one big sandwich (which takes up my time in a family where both parents work full-time) or eats the limited portion given him.
Yet the FLOTUS and others are brainwashed that overweight kids are a bigger problem than serving ALL our kids and making sure none are hungry. My dad used to have to dumpster dive to eat as a kid, is that what we want for our kids today? (and no, his parents weren't "keeping up with the Jones'", his mother was malnourished as well).
Sorry, the fact that making 2 sandwiches takes up too much of your time is a lame excuse. Don't expect the Government to feed your hungry 13 year old. Teach him to make his own sandwiches and stop your blaming other people that you don't feed your own kid well.
I Agree!! A 13 year old child is definitely onld enough to pack his/her own luch for school! My 10 year old helps me pack his...
Your'e full of crap. What is your child 13 and only 230 lbs? No calories at school? You people make me sick with your begginng and complaining. Give the kid up for adoption if you can't afford him.
You can't take five minutes at the end of your day to amke your kid a large sandwich? Or how is this.. he's thirteen with two functioning arms and hands–show him how to make it himself. Then you'll be doing your job as a parent–giving your kid the tools to be responsible for himself instead of complainging like his poor excuse for a parent. Good grief. I can't believe someone posted such nonsense.
MCDONALDS IS NOW ACCEPTING FOOD STAMPS IN MY AREA!!! HURRY! THOSE CHARITIES BETTER START GIVING AWAY MCDONALDS VOUCHERS TOO! THEN OBAMA CAN COME BACK.. LIE.. AND SAY OUR CHILDREN NEED HEALTHIER MEALS AND A GOOD DIET. YIPPY! FRENCH FRIES... BIG MAC... HAPPY MEALS...
Why the caps?
JUST TOO LAZY TO UNCAP :)
What's the big problem with being hungry? It's the fact that people have begun to believe that they're entitled to a full stomach 24×7 that is making us fat. I LIKE BEING HUNGRY. And eat once a day.
Why have a picture of a chubby girl on the front page linking to this article? The problem is the kids are picky.
Our children are hungry because we are too busy helping those who cant help themselves in other countries and pouring money into useless wars that we shouldve never been a part of in the first place! We cant take care of our own because we're to busy being the world police!
i guess this writer must be a little out of touch with school lunches, or states are that much different, most, if not all schools in phoenix have a peanut ban, peanut butter is NOT allowed to be brought to school
Not true. None of the schools in my district have a peanut ban and pb&j is regularly served as an alternative to the regular meal.
NEED, not GREED. HELP, not HAND-OUT. RESPONSIBILITY, not RECRIMINATION. We preach justice for all in this wonderful country of ours. Yet for those who really need justice, the truly poor and the truly hungry, there is no justice. They can't afford to pay for it, so they don't receive it. Justice is food for all; a home for all; laws that apply to all, and a society that cares about itself, and cares for itself. How can the richest country in the world allow its own citizens to go without, while subsidizing corrupt governments around the world in the name of peace. Lets keep doing that. One day, we will have so many hungry, unemployed people in this country that a genuine social uprising will take place. Civil war.....on a continental scale. Then, when the dust settles, and the poor and hungry have displaced the rich and full................we can start the cycle all over again.
The idea of giving people IQ tests before they are allowed to have kids is gaining steam in this country. Don't get me wrong we need dumb people to shovel coal and dig ditches and stuff....just dont let them breed.
Agreed. There's the answer to our education problems too. Why does this country teach children who don't want to learn.
Give coal shovers IQ test before they bread! The smarter offspring might be able to figure out a better way to do it. :)
The answer is simple. We make child nutrition a priority. We force companies to supply schools with healthy food at minimum profit. And if some animal starts whining about socialism we shoot him.
'we force' sounds for facist than socalist, as does 'we shoot them'.
We wouldn't have starving children in this country if we stopped feeding the kids from other countries and focused on the children of our OWN damn country.
I agree Slacker. We feel this need to help out others that are in other countries, but neglect our own problems. The US has enough problems to deal with for a century, why are we trying to combat problems in a far off land most have never been? Once we can combat our own problems efficiently we should move on to the next.
We don't have starving children in this country, we have children who live in "food insecure" homes. When I looked up what that meant I realized that my family falls into the category and my children don't go hungry. I would rather help children in other countries who have parents who work many hours a day for $1 and still have children DIE from starvation.
I am not an advocate for not helping out the less fortunate in other countries, but to say they are socially more responsible so help them is plain ludicrous. For starters they are no more responsible than our citizens. In fact they might be even less. Most impoverish societies have more kids from lack of contraceptive and an ideology of having more kids gives a higher chance the offspring will prove for the parents when they get older. This means two parents happen to have more kids than they are able to provide for a selfish cause. I know this first hand from traveling to third world countries and speaking directly to these parents.
Local aid not only helps out your friends and family but the whole society around you. It also creates an awareness and a sense of unity. Again, I agree we should help the less fortunate no matter what the border is, but please consider helping out locally first.
Why are donations needed? What are parents doing with the food stamp money?
Oh yes, they are using the food stamps to buy high priced food items, then running to charity when their card does not last through the month.
I do not see why tax payers are being forced to subsidize poeple hving kids. I cannot have my own kids, I need to adopt, but yet I am saving for adoption fees while my dollars are going towards others who already have kids.
If you cannot take care of them, don't have them, it is not the tax payer responsibility to take care of your kids.
If people want to donate, they should do so on their own accord, not by force of the government.
What about homeschooled kids? Where do they fit in? If they aren't going to a public school, they'll get none of this.
I have a homeschooled child. He gets enough food. Usually homeschooled children are from families in the upper middle class.
Where do you homeschool? I homeschool my children and most of the homeschooling families I know are lower middle class or middle class at best. They sacrifice a second income and they pay for all the child's educational expenses themselves, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. My children and many of the other homeschooled children I know would probably be eligible for reduced lunches if they were in public schools.
GIVE ME A BREAK! Majority of these food stamps recipients spend their money on JUNK FOOD! If you come to my neighborhood, you'll see these pathetic Black and Mexican families packing up tons of potato chips, cakes, deserts, ice cream, and donuts at the grocery market. Then you see them running over to Jack in the Box and buying $40 meals with their food stamps EBT card. Then they run over to Dominos Pizza for a $30 pizza and pay it with their food stamps EBT card.
SO GIVE ME A BREAK! HERE I AM WORKING MY BUTT OFF AND PAYING TAXES... AND THESE DEMOCRAT IDIOTS ARE OK WITH WASTEFUL SPENDING. THANK YOU OBAMA!
Wasteful spending hurts everyone, rich or poor. That should be the focus here.
Judith seems a little intolerant, but makes some valid points. If your children are going hungry, you shouldn't be spending money on cigarettes or alcohol. Likewise, if you are already struggling to take care of your family, you shouldn't be having more children. Some people try to be responsible & then fall on hard times, losing a job or becoming ill. But there are others who make a choice not to be responsible, spending their money foolishly or adding to their family.
My sister was one of the irresponsible ones. She & her husband spent their money on nice clothes & cigarettes for themselves while their children went without properly fitting shoes or clothes, not to mention food. I would occasionally give her money for groceries until she needed a ride to the grocery store one day & I saw that half the money I gave her went to cigarettes! After that, I bought groceries & took the kids shopping for clothes myself. Then I knew that my money was going where I intended it to go.
Finally a sensible person!
Is the U.S the first country in the history of the world where the "poor and hungry" also happen to be, on average, "overweight?"
On that note, I think everyone who has a job should give half of what they earn to those who don't have a job. Wait, nevermind. Also, those who don't have a job should also be Entiltled to own a home, at the expense of those who work. Wait, nevermind.
Given the resources of the US (diminished, yes, but still considerable), it is almost obscene that we have hungry, homeless families. And if we're are the "Christian" nation that various factions claim us to be, it's sinful ("Love thy neighbor" is in the Top 10, I believe, violation of which is considered a sin). I do not advocate wealth redistribution but voluntary sharing is a good thing 9and not just that can of herring in mustard sauce that you're loathe to eat but haven't thrown out). We write checks, donate cans and overcoats at this time of year and then pretty much ignore the problem the rest of the year. I would suggest, as a New Year's Resolution, that starting in 2011, if you're inclined to donate to a food bank, you find a way to do so either monthly or quarterly.If enough people made small contributions more frequently, it would go a long way towards easing the problem.
It is obscene we have hungry. You are certainly correct. Wealth distribution will only increase/polarize the problem. Wealthy people are inclined to give MORE when the government isn't playing Robin Hood with their money. There would be a few greedy ones, but philanthropists are more inclined to do great things when there aren't forces working to plunder they're hard work.
Agreed
I really have a hard time believing all these stories of hungry kids when 1 out of 3 kids in the US are obese. How about tackling the real issue of all the sugary, highly processed foods these kids are eating.
I laughed when I read your post! I agree.
Agree 100%. So totally true.
@OrionStyles: I love you. Thank you for saying that.
Also. For those of you commenting on the pictured child's weight: Poverty has become a leading cause of obesity in this country. Why? Because the least-expensive food is also the most unhealthy. These are FOOD-INSECURE people, not STARVING people, which means that they have inadequate food, not none. Meaning further that what they have is probably cheap crap: ramen noodles (carbs which are deep-fried prior to packaging), mac and cheese, hot dogs, bologna, peanut butter. Fatty, fatty things–fresh produce is expensive. But please, judge away.
You are not correct. I work at food banks and give out food. The majority of the food distributed is canned vegtables, rice, dry beans, applesauce, tuna, chicken, and canned fruit. Now, some poorer families buy fatty foods at the fast food places that is high in fat, but they do not have to. Cannedveggies and general staples are less expensive than fatty foods. Sorry, but nice try.
From what I've seen at the grocery store, you are incorrect. Instead they purchase JUNK FOOD or they purchase expensive food. Instead of trying to budget their money to last a month, they use it to scratch the itch.
"Food insecure families," CNN? Just write that they're starving!
Illegals
Using a picture of a child bordering on morbid obesity doesn't make one inclined to take the article seriously.
How about stop having children if you don't have the means!
I have dedicated much of my spare time working at food banks, shelters, and the local community center distributing food. Some of the folks are indeed in very poor condition and need the food. The majority come in with designer clothers, nails and hair done, tatoos, plenty of jewelry, and cell phones or blue tooths. The reason these folks, and I said the majority, need food is because they have screwed up priorities. They "expect" free food to be available to them the same way they "expect" free health care to be free and any other essentials the government can provide. The sadder news is so many Americans buy into this game and support this type of behavior. They are too naive to think it exists. Let's feed the ones that need it but turn away those that are abusing the system. Get involved. See for yourself.
I know that there are actually kids who go hungry, and that is sad, but our coddling of the "Hungry" needs to stop. There was over a 50% rise in obesity among the "poor" children in 2009 alone!!! We need to help those who are actually in need and quit feeding those who just want handouts.
We just started the "backpack" program at our school where I teach reading to children who are falling behind. I feel so bad for these kids, but the truth of the matter is that their parents HAVE food, or at least have the ability to get food. They are on food stamps, food bank lists, charity lists, ect. Teachers and principals look after these kids – at least they do in our school. It isn't that they didn't HAVE food, it is that nobody was willing to Prepare food for them. The older kids can pour themselves a bowl of cereal (if Mom has remembered to get milk) but the little ones can't.
However, I DO NOT believe that sending food home with these kids is the answer. Social services needs to get involved when kids come to school hungry. It isn't the schools job to feed them breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Parents really do need to take responsibility for their children. They need to be taught to prepare HEALTHY food, not just easy food, and they need to know that there will be consequences if they are not willing to perform the basic parental responsibilities. As a teacher, I would LOVE it if doing homework with your children was considered a basic parental duty – most of these children NEVER do any homework because Mom and Dad don't help them or even remind them to get it done. That's another topic.
The families that I feel sorry for are the families that don't qualify for all the government welfare programs. The family that pays a mortgage and a car payment, and both parents work – and then, for reasons beyond their control – things get tough financially. They had medical expenses for a child or parent, or one spouse looses a job. These people are often not POOR enough for help.
@wyogirl, right on the money. We had our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren living with us. The school was trying to force the lunch programs on the kids. I actually had to step in and show a pay stub to the school aministrator to shut her up. Personally, I believe no one should go without food, but I think the government providing food should be the exception, not the norm. Instead, the FAMILIES should be helping out. My daughter and son-in-law have not made some of the best choices in life – smoking, drinking, etc. But I will NOT let my grandchildren go hungery. IT IS THE FAMILIES RESPONSIBILITES TO TAKE OF FAMILY. The government should only take care of the family when no one else can help.
Thank you for your comments.
What happenened to "commodity" food? Do they still give that stuff out? I haven't had to deal with any form of government assitance since becomming an adult myself. I grew up in a VERY poor, rural area with no decent jobs of any kind. That's why I moved 600 miles away so that I could get a good job and live a normal life. But, commodity food, plain labled and nutritious was very common place growing up. Our schools even used to use it to make the breakfast and lunch. Most of the familes I grew up around all had parents who worked. Most of the jobs were extremely low paying factory, sawmill, manual type of jobs so, they all still qualified for some sort of assistance. I have not lived there for over 15 yrs and still don't understand why anyone would stay in that area. I wanted to be able to clothe and feed my child. Yes, only one child. Guess why? It's called family planning. I'm jsut saying. That needs to be part of the solution too. Education, Job, "Planned" Family, in that order. The unexpected still happens every day and anyone of us could find ourselves unemployed or underemployed and in need.
Odd choice of picture (the sulking child, not the empty place serving). That kid might be chagrined because no one's offering her a Happy Meal, but she's not suffering from underfeeding. She's probably suffering from too many Happy Meals or the equivalent. I'm behind providing basic food at schools, but it should be nutritious, low-fat food, not the kind of empty-calorie junk that children will stuff down because it's available and attractive. Apples, oranges, bananas, tangerines, plain crackers, skim milk, low-fat cheese sticks, and the like, not processed junk.
Maybe we should send McDonalds to the starving children. That would definably solve the issue.
If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em. Society is not responsible for raising or feeding your sprogs because you were too stupid to keep your legs together and use birth control.
Islam is screwed up too. Humans are terribly flawed – mentally. We haven't finished evolving yet.
Are we ever going to stop evolving? Because in another 10,000 years who knows we might even have wings. Apparently 10,000 years ago we were monkeys.
I'll feed kids. But the adults with enough money for beer/cigs/drug of choice but none for food? They made their choice.
I say we convert the starving child to Christianity, thus ruining their culture! Then we should make slaves of them!
I have been researching on how to feed hungry & needy for a while but never got credible information. All the responses I got was canned food, money donations etc. I am against donating money as it always gets misused. I dont trust any organization for money. I would appreciate if someone could provide information of how to feed hot food to the needy in NYC. We want to do it to celebrate our son's first birthday... Thanks!
I just saw this new campaign http://www.togetherwefeed.com. From what I read it's the actual food company that is donating their food and they started the campaign. It seems like the most straight forward donation cause I have seen in a while, as it is from production floor to cook into a warm meals for the needy. Pretty neat!
Thanks Guy. Looks good, I will find out more info and see if it works for me...
thats great but they got to watch what they serve to many food allergies like my son he has a peanut allergy and dont need to be around it
It's your responsibility, as a parent, to let that be known. DUH!
"don't" need huh?
stupidity and you had kids?
Wow, it's amazing how some of you people can be so heartless. First of all, this article is talking about hungry CHILDREN. Do some of their parents have kid after kid that they can't afford? Sure, but it's not the kids' fault. They didn't ask to be brought into this world. Children are innocent. They can't fend for themselves. But go ahead, dig you head in the sand and turn your nose up because after all, it's not your kid that's going hungry.
Second of all, if you read the article, it talks about how more and more middle class families are seeking assistance now because there was/is (depending on who you talk to) this little recession and a lot of people that were doing alright lost their jobs or got their hours cut and it suddenly got harder and harder to make ends meet. Should they be thrown in jail, too, CT Shea?
Thirdly, are there a lot of crappy people that take advantage of the system? Sure, but there are also a lot, A LOT, of hardworking people that are doing the best they can and just need a little compassion; that aren't looking for handouts and are embarrassed by their situation. Don't be so friggin' synical!
Geez! No one is saying you need to donate a million bucks to feed other people's kids, but we could all send a few canned goods to the food pantry! My goodness, this is supposed to be the season of giving. I see the cruel and heartless are out in full force this year! I suppose it's easier to point all the blame on illegals and lazies than to actually just feel a little bit of compassion for your fellow human being, huh?
Well said.. v for vendetta
Here's an idea. Next time and earthquake and a subsequent cholera epidemic hit Haiti, our concerned citizens here in the US shouldn't throw billions of dollars in aid to them just because it's the popular cause... Let's focus on our problems first, and not forget that the Haitian goverent wouldn'tlet the stars and stripes fly with the other donor countries flags because of our " negative capitalist influence"
Cynicsm, hate, prejudice, sticking your noses up. Some of you should be ashamed. There are real people needing real help. Not taking advantage. Some who had great middle class lives until recently, others who have needed help longer. Point is everyone, rich or poor or in the middle should give more than recieve. Not just money but skills, time, work & love. Being rich isn't a sin but blinding yourself into thinking someone's lack of resources makes them irresponsible should be. I bet a lot of u complainers aRe orielly following "christians".. what happened to make u so cold?
'The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world'. Educate the parents/guardians how they can live on a budget yet make nutritious meals, on how they can contribute to their child's success by being committed to their school work and sporting their teachers efforts.(look at the success of charter schools because parents are committed & contracted to be involved in the success of their children). Many parents/guardians just do not know better. If they did they would do better..not all but most would, I am sure of this. Many thousands of low income single parents/guardians have raised successful, well educated children all the while working several jobs just to survive. Communities should invest in the education the parents to improve the chances of the following generations. Educate don't judge. Yes, the hand that rocks the cradle really does rule the world.......our world. would be better if we focused on correcting the source of the problem by educating these parents and thereby helping them & their kids up & out of their present situation.
Exactly! Before she retired, my mom worked for a program that taught basic economics, nutrition and cooking to the poor. You'd be amazed how many people were never taught how to shop, how to cook, how to stretch a dollar. If you know how to do those things, they seem amazingly simple. If you don't, though, they're not necessarily something you just figure out.
" think adding things to the curriculum like farming would be beneficial. Have a small plot of land on the premises for kids to learn about growing food. Maybe a greenhouse. Just a thought"
I love gardening, but have you ever tried to grow a lot of edible produce yourself? It's not as easy as it looks. I had a garden plot outside of town when I was a graduate student. The only way to water was rain. It was eye-opening. A 2 week drought during my vacation destroyed the pepper and eggplants. My broccoli was full of worms. none of my carrot seeds came up. I had tons of Zuicchini but had to spend money on other ingredients if I didn't want to eat zuicchini every night as the vegetable. The frost killed some of the tomato plants before they had any tomatoes. A kid that lives in a apt doesn't even have access to a palce to grow anything.
its called community gardening.. and it works many ahve been starting accross the country and they are effective. regardless of the out come they teach child's hard work and responsibility.
IF YOU. ARE ARGUING. AGAINST FEEDING HUNGRY CHILDREN. AT. CHRISTMAS. You deserve to be roasted and fed to the children for their holiday dinner. Seriously? Seriously? I don't care if the kid's mom is an illegal Mexican Muslim jihadist crack-addicted prostitute who came across the border specifically to give AIDS to white people, and has no idea who Daddy might be. It isn't the kid's fault. The kid can't eat "your mom is irresponsible." The kid didn't appear as a spirit from the hereafter asking to be born, they didn't ask for their parents, they didn't ask to be poor and lacking in some of the most basic human needs, and they can't exactly go get a job and buy some ramen. This is not a political issue, it's a basic human decency issue.
Perfectly put.
Good god, yes!
I agree with grantg! There are many more cost effective, healthy ways to feed folks with delicious food that everyone (even meat eaters) would enjoy. A friend of mine just tweeted about a really cool new campaign that looks amazing! http://www.togetherwefeed.com. What do y'all think about it?
How about bringing back the jobs that fed my Generation, those jobs fed, clothed , housed and educated the working mans children, everything was possible because the working man was more respected and that respect manifested into a living wage, which in turn brang about stability for the working mans child. Even the worthless drunks kids were better off then.
Merry Welfare Christmas Everybody!!!!
Here's a better idea. Force those dissociative personality disorder CEOs to split profits the old way of 1/3 for them, 1/3 for the company, and 1/3 for workers instead of the new 1/2, 1/4,1/4. (the generations following the boomers are far more productive, yet they take home less? FU) ENFORCE 7.5 hour work days, (this will force companies to hire more people instead of threatening job loss for people who don't work 10 hours a day and at home on off hours). And finally the the government really needs to stop intentionally over saturating the job markets as a tool of controlling wages.
That would fix quite a bit of problems.
Johathan Swift had a proposal to end hunger.
Apparently, so does everyone else.
Did Swift propose cannibalizing the rich?
I hav eone kid. stopped at one when i realized thats what i can afford on our income. his school signed him up for free lunch and then told me i dont have to pay for his lunch anymore. totally offensive. since when cant i feed my kid? sure i dont have a fancy car or new furniture..make my own coffee and havent seen a movie theatre in a while but dammit i can feed my own kid!
Only one thing wrong with your webpage (Home) page. The young lady in the photo, just doesn't "fit" the storie. She's not skinny!
@Pat Savu
There are pros and cons to solving the worlds hunger issues – and both must be addressed. If feeding the hungry causes them to have 3 more children each, then what are the implications of a surge in population of an energy consuming species like our own? Should we be concerned about the long term implications? And if so, what is the solution?
Do they deserve to live? What do starving chiding overseas contribute to society. Note this is not my belief it's just a idea.
I am so conservative that I could make Reagan look like a fan of the new deal, but I cannot get behind your attitudes. When 1 of seven people are on assistance, it does not connote laziness. It connotes structural changes to an economy and a whole class of people who have been left behind. Are some lazy? Sure...that happens in ANY group of people, whether in the barrio, or a harvard dorm. My gripe is not with the individuals involved, but with a gov't and educational system that has perpetuated this.
Conservative... Regan... new deal. Props for that one!!! too funny! Just a side note, Republicans at EVERY INCOME LEVEL are more charitable by a long shot than Democrats. Interesting since they like to "help the poor" with everyone else's tax dollars... oh wait not EVERYONE elses' just those who make over $250,000. Politics aside, I agree with you. No kid should go hungry in this country. We've failed them, and so have their parents.
This past May, CNN Heroes introduced America to the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign – a nationwide program that diminishes hunger by enabling millions of home gardeners to donate their excess garden produce to a local food pantry.
More than 3,000 of America's 30,000 food pantries across all 59 states are already registered at AmpleHarvest.org. If you know of a food pantry in your community, visit them, give them the flier at http://www.AmpleHarvest.org/pantry and urge them to register at AmpleHarvest.org ASAP.
This free campaign enables gardeners to reach into their backyard instead of their back pocket to help their neighbors in need. Visit http://www.AmpleHarvest.org/faq and http://www.AmpleHarvest.org/comments to learn more.
Everyone should be able to get basic food especially children. As a society we should support this: no Hunger. Basic food shoud be provided at schools if possible. Cheese. Milk. Crackers. P&J sandwiches. We shoud not make judgements about how the kid looks (fat, Latino, etc).
Until they start putting contraceptives in the water and people have to apply to have a child, there were be accidents, and thoughtless sexual activity that will produce unintended children. It's not the child's fault who his parents are and if they have enough money to really take care of him. Unless we are going to export or murder the child, he should have enough to eat regardless of who his parents are.
everyone SHOULD get basic food. The problem is we had out food stamps left and right that can be used to buy absolute crap. I feed my family of 4 on $50 a week and we eat almost no junk. there needs ot be a better system of getting that basic and HEALTHY food that doesn't involve the parents being able to blow food stamps on Doritos.
Kate: Good comment...it would be great if you, who can feed 4 for $50/week, were given the opportunity to share how you do it. That would be a positive contribution to the situation so many poor face.
Good for you, and I mean that in all sincerity. I'm gonna guess you have a car so that you can get to a grocery store with fruits and vegetables, your own place with a kitchen where everything works, and were taught by someone how to cook. Missing any of those three things, the poor are forced to spend their foodstamps less wisely than you spend your $50.
@CloverGirl
Really? I had no idea people were "forced" to buy anything. Are there food police in your grocery store?
Just because cooking is more difficult for some people it is ok to give up and buy crap only?
I am a white male and grew up with just one sibling. Both my parents worked, but it wasnt enough. We were always poor. Meat was served during special occasions only. No, this wasn't the depression. It was the 90's. I used to be mortified giving the lunch lady my reduced lunch code at school, and had problems concentrating at school due to hunger. It's really offensive to me to read all these horrible comments , that try to reinforce the stereotype that only blacks and immigrants need help. You want to belive that because its easier than coming to terms with the fact that your neighbor might be underfed and is too embarrased to ask for help. In case you you totally misread the point of the article the WORKING famlies and individuals suffer the most. These are people with kids , with houses, or idividuals with jobs, rent, light bill, gas bill, just like you.
Been there done that and still graduated in the top 10% of my class. Sorry I did not eat lunch or breakfast in high school and never one did I have trouble concentrating because of it. The cute blonde sitting next to me yes. Hunger no.
Well, then obviously the commenter above you is lying! Since everyone is you, then you know everything about everyone. Maybe you have a higher metabolism than most. Or are you saying all kids should live on one meal a day because you survived?
Chris, I had two siblings and a single mother, way back before it was the 'cool' thing. This was back in the late 60's early 70's. We did not have reduced lunches, etc. We did receive a monthly package from the county government, as did many of the people in our 'neck of the woods'. We made sandwiches, etc to take to school. so no it is not only the minorities that are affected by this, it affects everyone.
We don't have much time left.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2812084192530401757#...Maybe we should start taking care of each other and enjoying it while we can.
Just because a child looks overweight does not mean that they are...they may have a disorder with their glands or something. It is a crying shame that people get on here and judge someone else...it's ok to leave a comment about the situation, but to judge and says awful things when you might not have ever been in their shoes is awful.The father above is the only person that will be doing the judging.
I agree with who ever made the statement about the CEO's that our government keeps bailing out instead of helping the very people who believed in them when they voted them in. Shame on our government for not caring about the little people and only the rich.
The little girl on the cover link looks like she's ALWAYS hungry…perhaps if we worked on a better dietary plans.
We stuff our children full of foods that do them no justice, fast food, microwave meals…you wonder why obesity is a problem? Look no further than your own two hands stuffing their greedy mouths full.
This ain't a 1-800 special.
Doesn't look like she's missed too many meals
I'm probably going to get blasted for this...but...when doing an article on hunger, probably not the best idea to show a picture of a fat little kid.....
Not just a fat child, a starving fat child.
Life is tough...the only answer is tough love. You help those who want to help themselves. You don't reward irresponsiblity. That's the only thing that is sustainable. You don't force people who made a decicion to have less of their own kids to pay for the children of those who didn't care enough about theirs. It's like the DREAM act...so called..tough...it's the parents fault...their kids situation is the parents fault..plain and simple. Don't steal from me when I'm saving to give my own kids a quality education, good food, and a head start on life. When you take from me you take from my children. If I decide to give that's my choice. Life isn't fair, never will be. Let's face it...the government has decided that instead of raising more of my own family I'm required to support someone elses...someone who pays no taxes, no SS, no Medicare, puts nothing into the system, while their kids get free lunches, free tuition...oh sorry , it's not REALLY free...we're ALL paying for it by carrying the dead weight. Instead of pulling on the heart strings how about facing up to the facts that a large percentage of these people need nothing more than a kick in their booze guzzling, weed smokin, 10 to a room lazy ass. Discipline!
So how does that apply to innocent kids who've done nothing wrong except be born to the wrong parents? What would your tough love plan do for them. Or do they deserve to suffer?
If a Parent cannot provide for their child they should not have custody. They should not have kids period.
Oh , I see . So If I lose my job because some greedy corporation sends my job overseas and I can't find another one that pays well enough to live, I should give up my kids ????? Wow . Sure , makes sense . Wow .... Thanks
for that load of crap . Hope you go hungry soon . Then they can take you away from your mommy . LOSER !
Rant rant rant!
seriously Mac, get a life or jump off a bridge. sux to be you...
Who's going to take care of all these kids that are taken away from their parents? And who's going to pay for it?
My thought- people receiving food stamps and welfare checks should be randomly drug tested.
Those who collect should also be limited and REQUIRED TO GET A DAMN JOB..
As far as children go... their parents poor decisions are not their fault.
Does this include Brett Favre?
:) AH, GOOD OL' #4.
Missed ya and luv ya! Good points all that you made. Now tell us how you really feel? LOL.
I'm in MN and it's really bad here with people using and abusing the system. I can say that.. I am aware of some that should be reported. :(
Snowbunny, where are these "DAMN JOBs" that people would be forced to take in your ideal plan? Because I know quite a few people who are looking, and can't seem to find anything.
How about ANY job, flip burgers or something. But no, sit on their dead asses collecting, collectiong, collecting.
again flipping burgers does not cover rent let alone enough left over for FOOD! wake up people
YOU are the one who needs to wake up. Perfectly able people should sit and collect?? How about work 2 jobs then? Or go to a temp agency?
Git'em Girl. Jab,Jab and overhand right. Down for the count. Worked for AD.
And when two jobs flipping burgers aren't enough, or three, what then? In some areas retail and fast food jobs are available, but in others there still aren't any to be found, so what if you live in an area where there just aren't jobs to be found?
You can't put everyone into a box in these situations. Some people are lazy and feel like they are owed something and live off the system. But others simply can't get jobs, or are having a hard time of things, and are doing the best they can to work and earn money and also take care of their families.
Since we don't know each situation until we actually take the time to get to know the people, isn't it better to err on the side of compassion? There's always someone to take advantage of every situation. Those people are scum. But is it worth it to let a family who's trying their best starve because someone else might be taking advantage?
I am merely talking about the poeple who take advantage of the system... that is all. I do understand that people go through financial hardships, I am NOT talking about them. That is a sad and horrible thing, even more when children suffer.
AMEN. we have to pee in a cup to get a job to pay taxes, they should have to pee in a cup to collect those taxes i just made for them!
I am at a loss to explain some of the sad, angry comments here. What happened to values of sharing and helping the poor. I do not go to church, but I remember that old one about "Judge not, lest ye be judged". We should help when we can. And not worry about whether or not someone is taking advantage. You can't control that. Helping others should not be subjected to conditional behaviors. Some of you people should really look for your hearts. I think that like the Grinch, it is two sizes too small.
Own a garden? Stop pulling the weeds and see how well your crops grow.
Sharing and Charity are voluntarily acts. Government confiscation of your earnings to feed others is not.
Government waste of taxpayers money is the real crime here and they should be held accountable as to how this waste impacts the poor.
@harasp
I agree. One of the biggest problems here is fraud and misuse of tax dollars. If taxes were spent wisely, I would give twice as much.
I agree with you but since the help is less than the need, new ideas on how to save kids from huger may work better than few cans of junk food here and there.
"And not worry about whether or not someone is taking advantage."
I think most people can agree with you that generosity and love should prevail in this great nation. As for conditional giving, I don't have a problem with that. In fact, I think it increases dignity, accountability, and self respect. Of course, there will be some people who simply cannot provide for themselves. These are they who must be taken care of, and this includes children. But the parents must not be spoonfed with them if the parents are capable of work. Otherwise, you rob them of dignity.
Just let me know where are these jobs.. and don't tell me they can just work at mcdonalds. The earnings recieved there can't even cover rent let along food expenses.
Yes, taloh. You're right. Everyone is so wrapped up in "I've got mine and to hell with everyone else". I truly believe that people put up layers of indignation about people getting more help than they deserve, or people not being worthy of help, because then they can dismiss any guilt or empathy.
If you are able to make someone suffering either less than human or to blame for their own suffering, then you can justify not helping. Sadly, it seems that more people do this than I ever realized.
I see that too and I feel sorry for them. As much as they blame the uneducated girl for having too many kids, taking handouts, breeding, the left the right.... And on the other side is the people saying just help them, they don't know what they do. Then you have the other people yelling I have mine sucks to be you just die quick. Seems like the left and right are the same. They just want entitlements for themselves or someone else. Where is the middle?
Actually, there are ways to control people that take advantage. And I would like to prevent them from taking advantage of my family. Unlike you, I don't throw my hands up when something is difficult.
That said, people in genuine need should recieve as much help as they need and I would be glad to contribute to that.
what is genuine need and who judges that? just curious
Let them eat cake.
I hope you become one of the hungry of this screwed up and insensitive world ... then you can 'eat cake' or better yet , take it analy ! IDIOT .
Do you know your history? There is no way to save everyone. This world isn't cruel nor insensitive. It is a balanced world. Would you prefer this world didn't exist? One day this world will contribution to the universe, people just have to stop typing and do something!
Mac, since when are our only choices to accept this world as it is or not have it at all?
The child depicted in this cover story looks truly fat and indignant. The child in the link by AynRandsGhost appears to be starving and miserable. Put the two pictures side by side and then try to run the story about the fat child in need of a meal. CNN please take this article down; I almost thought it was a joke with the picture and examples, and it would be hard for an outsider to take it seriously, thereby hurting any who may truly be in need in this country and elsewhere.
I agree that it should be illegal for a commercial establishment to discard unspoiled food. Politicians today fight tooth and nail so that two men can engage in disgusting acts with one another, but do nothing about this, simply because they lack the backbones to stand up to those who hide behind words like "bigotry". It goes to show how backwards we are as a nation. We do not have our priorities in order – not at all.
I think your comment is a "disgusting act". Also, do you really think that all kinds of stores and restaurants throw away perfectly good food? I worked in several restaurants through high school and college, and I have to tell you, most restaurant owners are operating on such a slim margin, they can't afford to throw anything away.
Unless you're talking about scraping the uneaten bites off every plate and putting them out in a trough for the poor...
Your comment is highly offensive, " two men can engage in disgusting acts with one another". I am sure you are one of those people who is fine if the priests do disgusting acts with our children.
We will always have social ills and bad parents, but if we could stop government waste, subsidies, never ending unemployment, and unfunded mandates! We would have money to help the "won't help themselves"!
As a teacher I saw the kids getting free breakfast/lunch & throwing most of it in the trash, while they had money with them to go buy pizza slices or what ever at the ala carte line and from the junk food machines. Meanwhile they had new hairdo,fingernails, tattoos, bracelets, necklaces, etc on an ongoing basis. I believe that very FEW are actually in need. They just want every possible handout. It is a greed plus no-responsibility ethic that we are being forced to support. Disgusting!
And it's way easier to sleep at night when you believe that if you saw a few kids throw out their food, then no kid in American is hungry, right?
I think adding things to the curriculum like farming would be beneficial. Have a small plot of land on the premises for kids to learn about growing food. Maybe a greenhouse. Just a thought. Oh and on a side note financing (how to manage credit and savings) would be a great addition. I never had those classes when/where i grew up.
great idea.. community gardens and school gardens actually show data of not only stimulating the community but showing kids responsibility and increases self esteem..best way to go in my opinion
Oh I thought Michelle's great garden ws going to feed the world, just another photo op for the black welfare wife of the wanna be leader of America. They need to go so we can get back on the right track and quit developing entitlements for the lazy ones and we know who they are, just bums who depend on the government and the white mans dollar.
Ignorance, thy name is Rick. "Nuf said.
Your bigotry is showing. Why does it matter if she's black, unless it bothers you that a black family is in the white house.
wow.. racism at its finest...
It should be illegal for resturants and other food establishment to throw out unused food...It should be required to be donated to a shelter or someone in need. After X amount of donation then there should be some kind of tax credit given to these establishment. TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD ARE STARVING.....AND TOO MANY FOOD IS BEING TOSSED IN THE GARBAGE....it should be a crime.
And if some of them die of food poisoning, well, that helps the problem too?
Aren't you the cheery one?
If everyone thought like that no one would buy food from anyone else because there is a small chance it could be contaminated.
Someone got sick on inadvertently contaminated free food and used a scumbag lawyer to get rich off it. Once people get greedy it ruins it for everyone else.
All according to plan-make the people so dependent on government that we won't be able to function, let alone get rid of those crooks. they stay in power, we get government cheese.
And to all you liberal whiners about the hungry people in this country, think about this: Not ONE american should ever be gpoing hungry in this country. Our government feels the need to subsidize hostle goverments and give money away to people who want us to fail. keep the money at home and take care of OUR needy.
Your tin-foil hat is showing. I was just flipping the radio the other day and heard Rush Limbaugh talk about how the government was trying to extend unemployment as part of its plan to "take away the dignity of men" and keep the unemployed and dependent on the government.
I don't think Rush really believes that stuff. He's just going for ratings. It's the people like you that listen to it and believe it that scare the heck out of me!
The picture used for this article is very unfortunate. This child obviously hasn't missed a meal in quite some time. She has rolls at her wrists! It seems from your choice of pictures for the front page that you don't take the subject very seriously. It makes it look like a joke.
Do you know any poor families? Lots of kids that go hungry are fat. When they do get food, it's the cheapest of the cheap food, and it's filled with fillers and fat. Also, people that are already fat can become poor and suddenly not have enough food. The human body can't, contrary to popular believe if you read this article, just not eat for months and "live off the fat" on it.
belief, not "believe"
Dora,
I'm sad to see that you obviously suffer from the same plague of misinformation as several other people on this post. Do a little research before making such judgements and spreading misinformation. Eating healthfully is more expensive and time consuming; thus, it is more difficult for those without a steady income or who are working multiple jobs to provide for their families.
So because it's difficult it's ok to avoid it?
Btw, it does not have to be difficult or expensive. A bunch of bananas costs the same or less than a box of fruit snacks or candy. It comes dosn to choices and many people are ignore or are ignorant of what's good for them.
"No child left behind" by HUNGER!!! What is the purpose of having a government if they are unable to end hunger in America?
But then again, our government can't stop itself from waging perpetual war either. What makes me think they could stop hunger in the United States. Boy, I sure am some kind of dummy.
There is a huge difference between being hungry and starving. In America a kid might go hungry now and again but no one in this country has ever starved to death.
That's like saying being stabbed is different from being stabbed to death. It still hurts like hell? So does hunger. And how do you know no one has EVER starved to death in this country. You see all the autopsy reports, do you? You think all deaths are autopsied and causes of death are proclaimed. Try investigating child deaths in the Appalachian mountains. AGAIN – regardless of the parents' involvement in the problem, IT IS NOT THE CHILD'S FAULT and HE/SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE OF HUNGER/STARVATION.
If you really think no-one in America has EVER starved to death, you're quite naive.
This kid on the pic has enough fatty acids to see her through the two-week holiday starvation :D
I know that there are plenty of people who are poor because they are lazy. Some of my familly for starters. I also know a lot of people who find themselves poor because of a job loss. There are plenty of people out there that are not lazy who are in need at this time. Helping where we can should be encouraged. Our Church adopted 25 families. We provided meals, gift cards to grocery stores, cereal for break and a gift for each family member. If you were in the same possition you would want some compassion.
The reason that there is hunger in the world is because meat consumption is way too high. It takes 7 pounds of vegetables to feed cows to produce only one pound of meat. Does it make sense to feed our food to feed us in a lesser amount? I don"t think so, if people decreased their meat consumption by just 20% then all of those grains and vegetables could go to a better cause, ending world hunger.
I agee with a lot of your post but availability is not the problem . People need jobs to buy ANY food . I just wish us 'humans' weren't so greedy .
The world overproduces food, even with your ratio taken into account to produce meat. Distribution is the issue, not production. But a good straw man argument you have there. Scarcity is not what raises the cost of food, but rather the price of energy. Gas prices go up, so the cost to get it from where it is produced to where it is consumed has gone up.
That of course does not excuse people from overextending themselves and choosing to cut back on food vs quitting smoking, etc. Food, shelter and clothes are the 3 basic needs. If you're cutting one of those basic needs while you still have other things you can cut (smoking, TV, etc) then you are doing it wrong and need to fix your priorities.
I'm really troubled by the fact that a child described in this article was "proud" of their backpack full of food. This indicates a real problem with the system. No one, even a child, should be "proud" of receiving a handout. I donate extremely generously to my local food pantry and even organize food drives all year round, but these are people truly in need who are actually trying to better themselves. A child who is "proud" of receiving a handout comes from a family that doesn't care to do their part to better themselves and that child will grow up to be another adult on welfare.
I think the point was that kids don't know NOT to be happy to get something. They're not always aware of the "shame" potentially associated with accepting a handout...assuming you think it is a shameful situation to accept a handout.
When I was younger, it was my parents who were in line to get the boxes of free food to take home. I was given free lunch while at school, and I can promise you I was completely embarassed by it. I realize that I wouldn't have eaten if I didn't eat at school, but I was never proud of the situation. Honestly my parents have never changed their ways, and they dont have to because there is always people out there that want to help the people that refuse to help themselves. There are definately people that abuse the kindness of others and there are people who really just need some temporary help.
I was bothered by the 'pride' of getting the handouts, and the kids 'wanting' handouts. I fear that that grows up to the entitlement feeling...
My child, when in first grade came home and told me I should sign up for the free lunches, at that age they really have no idea what it means or should mean about getting your lunch for free. I explained that we had enough food to feed him. He still didn't understand.
Did it ever occur to you the kid was proud to be CONTRIBUTING food to his/her home?
gosh Judith, what are you so angry about? You make good points, but there are plenty of people who don't fall into the categories you so thoughtfully laid out of those of us not as smart as you, and that's what the articles addresses.
Losing your ability to feed yourself because of no fault of your own in far different then losing everything because you've overextended....and I'm guessing you have overextended yourself, but not to the degree of losing food or heaven forbid, cable television
How do you define "hunger?" Because if "hungry" is not being able to eat 4 meals and 5 snacks every day, then yes, you deserve to be "hungry", and I go "hungry" every day.
Do you really think that's what this article is about? Kids who don't get 5 snacks a day? Some people are willfully blind because it's easier than mustering human kindness.
The point is that I'm willing to be most children who have to go "hungry" have never missed more than two meals in their entire lives.
I've had to go days without food when I was growing up. DAYS.
If these kids are anything like the one in the photo, these "hungry" kids have never gone a few hours without eating.
What a real hungry child may look like.
http://notmytribe.com/2008/the-united-nations-pushes-war-and-starvation-onto-the-peoples-of-iraq-afghanistan-somalia-congo-and-haiti-85613.html
No, that's what a starving child looks like.
It makes me sad to hear "if you can't feed 'em don't breed 'em" like it's some kind of brilliant stroke of insight. While they are at it perhaps another two hour discourse on how "A=A" to enlighten the people.
Let's throw away kindness and look at our own survival as a capitalist nation. At some point it becomes strategically correct to commit crime because at least in jail there is food and shelter. When poverty reaches that level then every American who has any form of wealth needs to start looking over their back. It is that type of serious poverty, the type of poverty that leads to revolutions, that the "welfare state" is trying to avoid.
If evil people cannot steal from these programs then what will these evil people do when those programs are taken away? Do you really think that hunger would force them to get good honest jobs and pay their taxes???
We need to look at this problem with an understanding of what actually happens rather than sugar coat things with ideals of what we want to happen.
you are typical
keep feeding the problem.
give them what they want because if we don't something far worse will happen!
nonsense. take away these freebies and see how fast they look for work
nothing but lazy people in this country who want to live like the working person, except they don't want to work!
incarcerate them all!
@steve wow am I still the only one that realizes that some of these people actually HAVE JOBS...yes there are people out there who take advantage of the system but there are also hard working citizens that can't survive without it especially in this economy. So are you telling me that if you get laid off and can't find work that I should incararate you?
Helping people that need it is important. However, it is also important to prevent fraud and abuse of the system. The "don't breed them if you can't feed them" types are against breeding to get benefits for kids they can't afford.
To many people (including me) this consititues fraud of the system.
Hey CNN- here's a tip. Don't use a stock photo of a fat kid for an article about hunger.
There should be a world wide law that NO child should go to bed hungry.food before guns and bullets !
Why are people who cannot afford to raise children having children?
I understand some fall into hard times, but some clearly can't afford it from the start.
Just like the education system issues and the "Ronald McDonald is making my child fat" issues, this often (keyword there: OFTEN, not always) goes back to irresponsible parenting.
Mike, probably having been brought up in a nice home with a family and plenty to eat and access to a good education and good role models, it's probably hard for you to understand that people don't stop having kids and act more responsibly in a lot of cases because they simply don't know better. They're doing what their parents did/living the way they grew up. They may not know differently.
It's so easy for people to say "I can afford to pay my bills, I work hard, what's the problem?" I'm not saying those people don't work hard, but they tend to greatly discount the benefits they got from their families (even if said benefits are not monetary), from the geographic location they grew up in, from just plain lucky breaks.
I don't buy the "my parents did it, so I have no choice" excuse. Becoming an adult is making your own choices and if you make the same mistakes your parents did, it is your fault, not theirs. Some choices in my parents life led to unpleasant results and I have no intention to repeat them. And I was not "privilaged" as you assume.
Discontinuing goverment benefits that reward bad behavior would help also.
Starvation and food insecurity are two differant things. If a child was actually starving, they would be placed with CPS. It's the working poor and their that suffer the indignity of hunger for prolonged periods. We as a society should make sure that EVERY child is fed.
We should also encourage responsible reproduction. But when certain religious groups are running around encouraging people to crank out babies, it tends to undermine rational society.
OVERPOPULATION is the earth's greatest problem. If it isn't fixed soon, we are all doomed.
Not just religious groups, but our own government condones it with tax breaks.
It's funny you should say that, when one of the headlines here on CNN is the release of the 2010 census, showing population growth is at its lowest since the Great Depression.
After looking at the image for this story, I can't help but think that the child DOESN'T look hungry.
And yes, get rid of the junk food, soft-drinks, candy, popcorn, and give them plain-label dept. of agriculture cans with clear instructions on how to prepare the food, and they'll get healthy and be fed. Obesity will go down, too. Also, make receipt of food stamps conditional on non-drug use and random drug testing. Require receipt of welfare food to be conditional on smoke-free homes. I'd require no alcohol too, but then any federal legislation would be nixxed by the 21st Amendment. One more thing: if the family's television is larger than 40 inches, they cannot receive funds until the television is given to a state office for resale- Home inspections are mandatory.
You don't like those ideas? Well, sorry. Get a job and pay for your own food.
You are so right.
I agree, but I would also like to add that there should be rules with food stamps, such as buying fruits and veggies and lean meats. Seems like everytime I go to the grocery store, I see many EBT card users with carts full of frozen pizzas and cookies. While I think that everyone should get a cookie or a treat from time to time, you should have to buy healthier foods when the tax payers are paying for it.
My mom used to work for a program that taught cooking and nutrition to people on food stamps. What you guys don't realize is that lots of people on food stamps fill up their carts with frozen pizzas and junk because they either grew up eating that stuff and don't know better, were never taught how to cook, or in some cases, are living somewhere where they don't have cooking facilities (homeless shelter w/ only microwave, apartment with broken stove).
Don't be so quick to judge.
I thought about that when I made my post. That's why non-intuitive canned goods need clear preparation instructions. For example, a can of dry beans needs a label that will teach people how to soften them. Or a can of wheat kernels needs to show how to grow sprouts. A can of flour needs to show how to mix it with other materials to make bread.
I would add to the list single moms can't spend $1000 and up on hair weaves at the beauty shop. Check out the documentary "Good Hair".
Bigot.
You morons have CLEARLY never been on food stamps. Let me see if I can dumb this down for you illiterate, self-righteous pricks: CHEAP FOOD IS CHEAP. HEALTHY FOOD IS EXPENSIVE. It is all done on purpose to keep to poor sick and unhealthy. I know people who used to work at high paying jobs and now lost them. The government does NOT match what you made in your job with food stamps and unemployment. Many people are having to deal with less and less given to them while prices go up and up. Did you miss this part in Economics 101? Oh, that's right. You guys are morons. What was I thinking?
I agree!!! Could not have said it better however we need to fix the problem that was created before your idea is put into use. Chubby kid or not..it is really scary that the middle class is suffering in the manner we find ourselves in. Latina, Russian, American...IT DOES NOT MATTER. If there are hungry kids and they live on this soil in this fine country...it is unacceptable. Plain and simple. I think this weekend food idea is great. Having worked in an inner city school...kids are hungry and they are neglected and it is shameful. Having a small amount of responsiblity such as preparing a meal is wonderful. Thumbs up for this inititiative and keep the ideas coming.
The child in the picture that accompanies this article does not look hungry. She looks like she is overweight and eats too much. Next time you write an article on hungry kids, use a picture of a child that really is actually hungry.
Perhaps she has kwashiorkor? :D Seriously, putting snaps of fat kids on articles about hunger are contradictory at its best. Now, who would believe these kids are actually starving?
Maybe her parents only can afford to feed her high-fat, low-nutrition cheap food. A kid can be both fat and hungry.
We need a new word for the condition where people are both hungry and obese. Perhaps 'Hungerbesity'. Then we can create programs to treat this new scourge.
I have an idea. Stop having kids id you can't feed them!
But what about the people who had children when they had good jobs and homes but then got laid off and can't find work. I guess no one should have children if there's a chance this could happen, right?
Wow, Webb! Brilliant! Apparently you aren't reading other's comments since that nugget has already been thrown out by, oh, a dozen or so posters. Your originality and intellect are truly stunning......
I thought all of our kids are fat. That is what Queen Michelle has been telling us for the last couple of years.
Is that what she said..really? Or is she takling about getting kids healthy. You DO realize that there are kids in this country who overeat and are inactive AND there are kids who get nothing to eat. Why would we not speak to BOTH groups? Why would you think it's better to JUST try and help one group but not the other? If you would take your head out of your arse and get off Michelle Obama, this could make sense to you. I swear sometimes I think people just say whatever crap pops into their brains without any sort of filtering.
You mean they say whatever crap pops into Glenn Beck's brain and they repeat word for word.
Glenn Beck is a mental terrorist.
Wow another person trying to point the blame at someone else instead of coming up with a solution. At least she is trying to help someone in this country.. Stop sitting on your butt and do something for a chnage instead of attacking someone who is trying to do something positive for our kids.
What ever happened to the notion of PARENTS feeding their kids? With all the freebies, food stamps, churches and others who feed the "hungry", there is no need to keep up this charade. Parents or guardians who don't feed their kids? The answer is simple: Arrest them and charge them with endangering their child. Then, as a follow up, bill them for these freebies for the rest of their lives until they are "paid in full". Pretty soon half of this country is going to work to support the other half.
I'm gonna take a leap and guess you're not for adding tons of funding to CPS in every state so that every family can be policed to make sure they're feeding their kids adequately. I'm also guessing if someone came to your house to see if you were feeding your kids enough, you'd cry "socialism", "big brother" and "nanny state".
@ CT SHEA: Hmm let's see. Perhaps the parents cannot feed their children or themselves because they CANNOT GET ANY FREAKING FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You ever thought of that in your puny pointless little pea brain of yours? YOU should be outlawed.
And the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the middle class fades into oblivion.
Nice job America.
the little girl on the coverstory did NOT look hungry...
They probably should have used a different kid in the picture. The picture I saw was of a chubby latina looking mad because she didn't get seconds or dessert.
I'm just gonna throw this out there But,11 to 20million Illegal Aliens in the U.s. should answer this Question.
Why? They arent hungry....I just saw 2 the other day on the front page of the newspaper going to UCLA! Illegals dont want for anything in this country. Food, education, housing, medical. Our tax dollars at work Richard!
Sorry but that kid in the photo is FAT and is eating more food than necessary.
The parents of fat children should be fined weekly.
The parents of OBESE children should be put in jail.
It is impossible to get fat unless you consume too much food.
People get fat from eating too much! Thanks for that earth shattering bit o' news, Captain Obvious.
When you're in the throes of death from starvation, you get fat just before dying. Your eyes sink into your head, and you can barely move, though your belly looks pregnant. You ever see the pictures of the starving Chinese during the "great leap forward?" (Backward)
The stomach area gets fat, not the face and limbs.
Somewhat true.
Many poor people eat a bunch of non-nutritious fattening foods,
the children may look fat (gives them the guise of health) but are very malnourished.
What an idiot you are. It's your way or the highway, right? Wrong! I feel sorry for someone as void of empathy as you seem to be. And I also pray that you are NEVER in a position to dictate/write/influence laws. YOU are the danger to society and civilization.
being obese doesn't mean that you over eat all the time.. sometimes there can be a medical situation that causes your body to react a certain way.. ever heard of thyroid disease or even taken steriods in medicines. These things can cause anyone to blow up in the body even if you are eating the right portions. That's completely ignorant of you to say when you don't know the person's situation. I do agree that parents need to take more responsible but know the facts before you judge someone guilty.
She might be a bit overweight, but often that's often an issue with the lunches provided at schools. Have you SEEN what some elementary schools provide these days? It's disgusting. Just the other day I saw a kid eating a "PB&J sandwich." I put this in quotes because it was nothing but two graham crackers, an inch of peanut butter in between, and a teensy bit of jelly. They were later provided with a fruit ice (artificial, of course) and overly sweetened chocolate milk. Some kids are in the situation of having THIS as their only meal of the day, and when that's the case, I'm not surprised with her weight.
dEWLAPSKI: Apparently you are too stupid to understand that cheap food is loaded with proven chemicals and ingredients that cause the body to get fat. High Fructose Corn Syrup is UTTER POISON and wreaks havoc on the pancreas as well as other organs. Cheap food is excessively sugary and salty. If everyone and their mothers could afford to grocery shop at Whole Foods, they would. I am able to afford that but I am not so detached and IGNORANT like you are to understand it is NOT as simple as: Your fat, eat less. Get a clue or shut the freak up.
I have a question, one that has bothered me for some time. How do you establish a balance between giving to poverty stricken families and at the same time preventing other families from taking advantage of such generosity, or simply having more kids because their kids who were hungry are now being taken care of? Ignoring these problems isn't going to make them go away. But how do we balance this out?
We are always going to have self serving people take advantage of a good thing. At the very least, I think that as a civil caring people, we should give folks the benefit of the doubt and make sure our kids are feed.
You can be a fat kid and still run out of food..
...it's the fat ones that run out first, since they eat everything in sight!
I personally figure if even one kid isn't starving, it's worth a bunch of people gaming the system. You can't police the world. You can only help where you can.
I say stop all child welfare payments after the first child. The poor know they will get paid to have more kids. This way they just use them as a source of income. It's hard to get around the first kid that some stupid teenager may get pregnant, but after the first kid they are well aware of the consequences of their actions. If no extra welfare is provided for any more kids past one, I think we will see a lot less of the welfare moms with 5 kids and the liberals screaming we must feed the children. We can phase this in over 18 years to account for the kids that are already born.
Of course we should provide free contraceptives and even "neutering" after the first kid.
Makes sense to me. I think neutering is going too far but once you have one kid on welfare, you should not get credit for having any more.
Anyone that goes on welfare because they lost a job will have no kids on welfare and can get the support they need. However, they should not have more kids and this policy would prevent that.
Any policy that prevents abuse is ok by me.
I have long believed that if you receive government assistance, you should only receive it for the number of children you have when you sign up. If you are pregnant when you sign up, you can get paid for that child, but NONE AFTER THAT.
I have the deepest sympathy for families with no choice but to sign up for subsidized food programs but do not see any need to perpetuate the cycle when they continue to have children. If you can't afford to feed your children, don't have any more. And for those who claim limiting family size for those receiving help is unfair, I disagree. If I'm paying the freight I should be able to make stipulations. If you don't like it, GET OFF THE PROGRAM!!
Something tells me that little girl on the initial page is not starving.....
ha
THANK YOU for saying that. Why on earth put up a pic of an overweight child for this particular article???
hahaha...that's the first thing i though of when i saw the article. that girl ain't starving.
My first thought, too! Probably ought not use a pix of a hefty 100-pound preschooler for a story on starvation.
No joke!
It's just a stock photo. That being said, I was once told by a nutritionist that many overweight children, especially those in what this article calls "food insecure" homes are actually malnurished because they survive on cheap garbage with no nutritional value. Mac and cheese, mixed-meat hotdogs, and breaded chicken nuggets are a lot cheaper than fruits and veggies. On top of that, parents in these households often can't afford or are too apathetic to enroll their children in sports activities at school, so they're often not getting the exercise they need either.
I agree with your observation. She's overweight. I'd like a word with the photo editor. OR Does is this overweight girl supposed to represent a child who became obese by eating all the wrong, highly processed, junk foods that many underprivileged children are given due to their easy availability in low-income areas? Fresh fruits and vegetables are not available in "food deserts". Cooking wholesome, nutritious meals is not a high priority for families facing major stressors.
And, I'd like to add, high fat and high sugar foods give you a feeling of saiety (fat) and instant energy (sugar). Presenting kids who are used to a diet of junk with whole foods that would be healthier for them is challenging and the kids will understandablly find their new food choices less palatable because their tastebuds and brains are accustomed to highly processed foods. This is a problem everywhere, not just in poor communities. Nutrition is a major societal concern; you are what you eat.
If you weren't so ignorant and knew anything about the state of poverty in this country you would know that poverty and food insecurity is the single largest indicator of obesity/overweight. So before you go judging the overweight children and their parents paying for their food with foodstamps, think a little.
It seems to me for a group of people that have all of the answers to these problems, you know very little about what these kids are actually dealing with.
ITS A STOCK PHOTO OK??????????? WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SO STUPID. YOUR PARENTS SHOULD HAVE USED BIRTH CONTROL TO PREVENT SOME OF YOU IDIOTS FROM BEING BORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS, and stop having kids they couldn't afford when they got pregnant and more kids after they KNOW they can't afford the first ones. Duh! All these parents with bunches of kids and crying the blues they can't feed them, ENOUGH. Take responsibility!
This in itself is the problem, people are having kids with no means of supporting them.
This has been a problem for quite some time, but now with the amount of illegals coming in to take advantage of the system in such a way, and many poorer Americans seeing this and imitating such behavior, it's starting to worsen.
Not starting it is!
@judith
Here we go again....
So if a family falls on hard times the parents should put a bullet in their heads instead of asking for help????
You should "Take responsibility" and keep your mouth shut!!!!!!
judith, there's a middle ground here. Yes, some people fall on hard time.
But let's not pretend that many of these parents NEVER could afford to raise children properly. How do we combat this? We cannot punish the kids...in fact, we SHOULD help feed them.
But we need to make it socially unacceptable to have children we cannot afford. We need to pull various religious leaders from various faiths aside and tell them to stop discouraging birth control and/or encouraging irresponsible reproduction.
The simple reality is some people are religiously and culturally more inclined towards irresponsible behavior in terms of bringing children into the world that they cannot possible support (and some others just do it because they're dumb).
We cannot just address the issue superficially and completely ignore the root of it, just because it may seem politically incorrect to do so.
@ScarcasticOne – feel free to give every penny you earn to support the needy. I need my money to be responsible and support my own kids and family. I look forward to the first of the month when I can watch the "needy" load up 2-3 shopping carts of free food with 4-5 kids running around behind them... oh yeah – then they all pack into the Cadillac Escalade and drive to their government housing. WTF! Stop having so many kids – maybe the parents can get JOBS and suppor them. I am not going to do it for them!
I tend to agree with @sickoffreeloaders. I too feel sickened when Im clipping coupons and taking advantage of sales to put food on the table with the money Ive worked hard for to see these 'hungry' people that have nicer cars and more jewelery than I do! Yes, some people dont have a choice but Im living proof of those that do having 2 children living in my home that are not even mine because the mother thought she could hold on to the father by having more babies! So, Yeah, Im a little cynical when it comes to reaching into my pocket nowadays.
@sickoffreeloaders.. Not all of the people you aretalking about are on food stamps because they don't have a job. Read the article again! Most of those people have jobs but are under paid and can't find higher paying employement in this economy. Matter of fact these are the same people who ahve college degrees and are looking for work but get stuck with contracting working with no benefits. They are left to stretch out their money to be for living costs and bills . At the end of the day very little is left to pay for food and that is where the fod stamps come in. P.S. most of these people don't have the luxury to own or pay for cars.
I guess I am a left-leaning Republican. I agree we need to help the children. I grew up and we received 'Commodities' from the county. I do not remember what my mother received once a month, but it did get us through the hard times. I am past that now, but I still remember those times. But, at the same time I 've watched the Food Stamp receipents go to the chekout counter with prime cut of steaks, chicken breasts, bags of cookies, chips, etc. While my wife and I are standing in line looking at our rump roast, or chicken thighs etc. I think food Stamps are needed by many people, but I think they are abused by many of those same people. How to fix it – limit what the food stamp receipents can buy with food stamps. Make sure they buy healthy foods, etc. Is it the right answer, not sure, as it is trampling on their freedom of choice. Maybe it is time for the Government to go back to the Commodities.
Oh, thank you Captain Hindsight, thank you!
I agree with you. People need to take responsibility. However, should a child suffer because their parents do not take responsibility? I'm not sure what the answer is to stop people from having children they cannot afford (or having children they are going to neglect and abuse). I wish I could solve that problem. But, I won't turn my back on a child in need in order to prove a point. I don't think it's worth the harm done to that child to make me feel self-righteous.
Personally, I know there are abuses in the system...but that's the price you pay to make sure that one kid that needs help gets it. You right wingers kill me...comments here are all about sterilizing people, and letting Darwin'ism' take it's course and let them die....yet you turn right around, scream at the top of your lungs about abortion and not educating kids about sex. Do any of you honestly know how insane you sound? This whole situation isn't going to get any better, and unless you are rich, facts are you are never more than a few weeks away from being in the same boat as these people. All it takes is being dropped by an insurance company now days to destroy your life. So maybe it's time to stop being so self righteous and actually contribute something constructive.
We should take all the food to be thrown out by restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, etc. and distribute to poor. perhaps tax incentives for participating businesses. Create agency for dispersal. This has made sense to me for decades. Volume is enough to solve problem.
Yup, and when 1 out of 100,000 gets sick or food poisoning they can get the local law firm of Gready & Basterds to sue the grocery/restaurant for pain and suffering and drive them out of business.
yep. My understanding that is why the restraunts quit giving the leftovers to the homeless. They got sued over it.
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (passed in 1996) protects donors from civil and criminal charges resulting from "good faith" donations of food.
@JR
Thank you for bringing that up.
I have tried that several times but it's always the same answer. The school, restaurant, service club, bakery are all concerned that someone will have an adverse reaction to their food donation.
Point them to the 1996 law that protects food donors from civil and criminal charges. See the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. I volunteer with food "repurposing" organizations and we get many donations of cooked, but not served hotel conference food, bakery goods, etc. It gets repurposed into other meals and sent on to shelters.
Excellent idea! Let's look for ways to solve the problem.
Not only that, but I know grocery that did used to donate, and stopped because there were issues. One of them had a single bag of rolls that had a little bit of plastic on each roll – inedible yes but wasn't going to kill anyone. For that one incident, the food bank stopped accepting donations of tens of bags of day-old bread per day from each store.
Second harvest does that in many cities.
Who feeds these kids in the summer? Are you sure they get the food they take home? This is not a good system. You think your doing something great but when that kids shows up on Monday morning and hasn't eaten since Friday night because mommie was hungry or the baby had to have something to eat what have to done to help that kid? If you won't take care of your child by feeding it you won't take care of it's other needs like making sure it is warm, clean and safe.
We have a local charity that sends food home with kids on weekends. Otherwise they don't eat. Sad it has come to this. But we have to make sure the bankers get thier bonuses don't we.
well bankers work hard and they desrve to be paid for their work. mayabe those parents should work just as hard as bankers do. then they could buy food for the kids.
Many people are working hard and there is just not enough money. Underemployed people are affected in addition to unemployed people. Single parents working jobs for hourly wages would find it difficult to feed one child after bills are paid and their child is clothed.
Even if parents are not working hard, the children should not have to suffer. Granted, it would be nice if negligent/abusive/lethargic/"do nothing" (take your pick) people would not procreate, but that is not the case. As a society, we have a responsibility to help children – no matter the circumstances. (And, yes, I do put my money and time where my mouth is – for my own children as well as for other children.)
Often times, jobs that pay well enough to afford food aren't available in areas where people suffer from poor nutrition. If you go to the a low-income, crime ridden area, are you going to find banks? No. You're going to find a Family Dollar or a 7/11. Those wages will never be enough to feed a family of 4 or 5, even if that parent works honest hours.
I agree that all parents need to work hard to provide for their kids. But does that mean we should not help these kids out now? Of course not. Lets put all the politics, finger pointing and overall bad attitudes aside for once and think of ways to help the kids.
Go f yourself, Jen. I imagine every McDonald's worker in America works 10x harder than the average banker.
As I've worked both jobs, I disagree with your statement. Flipping burgers is not fun, that doesn't make it "hard", and very repetitive – a robot could do it. Banking requires thought, analytical skills, reasoning, and problem solving. You're an idiot.
This is not a comparative problem. This is a basic needs issue for children who do not have a voice, do not have a choice, and will likely suffer their entire lives if not helped on some level right now. Working hard is not the issue. an imbalance in the economy is.
Wish that it were that simple. Have you heard about the unemployment rate, people out of work for over a year, or finding just part-time work? I guess all they needed to do was really *wish* for a job!
ANYONE with half a brain knows that poor people work TEN TIMES HARDER than the rich. Don't give me that bullcrap. I would love to see you go work as a migrant worker in 110 degrees picking fruit for 3 dollars a day! Are you freaking kidding me? I hope you lose your job and everything you have. End up destitute on the streets eating your own feces. I will walk by and laugh in your miserable face!
..the me me me crowd pipes up. Sick really...
These children are picked by thier school teachers. A good teacher soon figures out the hungry ones. The lethargic ones , the ones who inhale thier lunch. Some of the inhumanity expressed here is very very sick – and speaks of a sick society. A society that does not take care of it's own soon dies.
What does one have to do with the other???
Build a golden corral
How about this,,, let the parents who smoke and drink and buy junk food start making the sacrifices that are necessary to FEED THEIR OWN CHILDREN! Novel idea?
@judith WOW God has spoken!!!!
What TV show do the parents watch after they finish drinking and smoking??
What are their names?
Do they Vote lord?
Why don't you just make them normal lord why?
yea, Judith, try and think a little broader, you can do it
Do not blame the children for this, whether or not their families spend their money on other items. We need to help feed children who don't have food, for whatever the reason!
People who cannot afford to properly raise children shouldn't be having them in the first place. You bleeding hearts should fork over all your savings to them if you are worried about it..
To Dewlapski: So we let the children starve????? IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT!!!!! (yes, I am shouting).
Yeah Starr0207, think a little harder, you can do it. It is no the kids fault. They did not wait in line asking to be born. You need to thank GOD you were not in their situation. Or maybe you were but you forgot, that always happens.
@Andrea
IT'S NOT MY FAULT EITHER!!!!!! Go somewhere else and beg to make yourself feel warm and fuzzy all over!
@Jim - If I were a better person, I'd hope that you never get into a position where you need help. Alas, I am not that better person. One day, when you're drowning and need someone to pass you a rope, may they be a better person than me and not go up to you and say "It's not my fault you're drowning. Go beg somewhere else." and walk away. Karma's a b*tch.
Today you, tomorrow me. Live it. Pass it forward.
@dewlapski
I guess you have never found yourself in unfortunate circumstances? Yes, we all know there are those that take advantage of the system but as others have said, is that the kids fault? Although I am lucky that my husband and I have jobs, neither one of us is making anywhere near what we were before my husband was laid off and had to take what ever job he could find. Both of my children receive free lunches at school and there are times when meals are scarce. Does that mean I shouldn't have my kids?
@ Jim: HAHHAH LAUREN SERVED YOU UP A GOOD ONE! How does it feel to be the most hated and despised person on this board? I hope someday you starve and get kicked in the face when you ask for help. Self-righteous prick.
Since the 1960's , our government made stupid people a protected species. We are now inundated with them.
And aren't we all glad that your parents were on the endangered species list...
Every read the story about Lazarus the begger. You should be very careful about your attitude toward the poor.
As a non-religious person, I concur with you abcd!
wow, u like so many others r so bitter even in feeding the hungry kids. Blame the parents but dont sound harsh. Ur life must be really lonely with ur dog.
Don't listen/respond to this tool (dewlapski). He's an obvious troll.
Yeah, and what about all those chubby 'starving' africans and south americans? Sure, their arms and legs are skinny, but look at their stomachs. Starvation – what a left wing con job!
Lazarus wasn't a beggar. He was dead. And he was a friend of Jesus.
You are completely on the mark with that statement. My bro-in-law can find oodles of money to feed his cigarette/alcohol habit/addiction, but he never seems to have enough $$ when it comes to buying food or other necessary supplies for his children. Why is that??
So true. It is time for some tough love and an end to this welfare state. I fear it is too late though.
But is that is children's fault? Do they deserve to go hungry as punishment?
Your brother does not represent everybody.
Richard, "tough love"? In other words, let the kids go hungry to punish their parents? If not, what do you mean by tough love? Or is it just something Glenn Beck said and you nodded and thought "yup, so true"?
I've been hearing that for 40 years, "the children, THE CHILDREN". That's the same excuse heard when today's kid's GRANDPARENTS were getting the handouts. As with everything else, what started out with the best of intentions has morphed into a totally perverted program. These same "children" learned if you cry, someone is there to hand it to you. And today's kids are learning the same thing-1 out of 7 on food stamps, yet I'll GUARANTEE you 1 in 3 walk around with web-access cell phones!!!! California got in HUGE trouble because 60% of TAXPAYERS were receiving more in government benefits than they were paying IN!!!! American poor=I don't have what they have. There is NO better place to be poor in the world, hands down. Want to see poor, go to Guademala, India, even Russia.
vcofrsn
Where is "Guademala"?
Do the kids a favor and put them in foster care so people who will do the right things for them are in control.
How about this. How about you bend over, reach between your legs, get a good grip, and see if you can pull your head out of your rear end, you insensitive, uncaring, ignorant and brainwashed troll. If there was any justice in the world, food would be taken away from uncaring people like you to feed kids. Let you feel what it's like to go to bed with nothing to eat for a few days. Maybe then you can fit your spoiled rear end between the chair arms.
We should take your food, or should I say food stamps
You GO BOY!
That is a great idea. However, until that happens, these kids need food NOW. It's not the kid's fault. They didn't sign up for this.
And what about the ones that don't drink and smoke, and their kids are still hungry? Are those kids worthy of your charity?
Those are the parents you help....the others who don't care if their kids have any food or warm clothes....they need to lose their kids..Save the children! Too many of those creeps are living off aid for the kids.
Hey folks. I work for a non-profit and contrary to popular belief we are serving many people who were CEO's, bankers, teachers, etc..... In case your insensitive minds are too cloudy to read, we are in desperate times. Not every person who is looking for assistance is a drunk, junkie or lazy. Hopefully someone has the kindness to give you assistance some day without judgement f you desperately need it. Be careful of the negative energy you send out because it may come back one day and bite you in the ass!
Thank you 'Helping Hand' for your comment. I cannot comprehend how some of these tools can sit back and really honestly believe that ALL POOR PEOPLE did it to themselves. I really wish that these comment boards did not exist. It was fun at first but now that people can actually spew their hatred and prejudice anonymously, it makes me sad. :( So much hate.
Teachers, CEO's and bankers on a bread line?
Finally justice is served.
What ... you mean like the parents of the FAT kid in the photo associated with this "hungry child" story?
I'm pretty sure the chubby in the girl is from a stock photo...not truly one of the kids the story is written about. But hey...judge away.
I couldn't agree more ... how many of the "starving kids" on food stamps have neglectful parents who stock the cupboards with cartons of Marboro's instead of cereal? I am not saying some people don't need the help, but practically anyone I have even met on state aid has been a devoted smoker who always manages to pay for their cigs!
I like how you put starving kids in quotes there like it's a myth or something
Have you ever been so beaten down, so depressed, and felt so worthless because you are unable to find a job and provide for your family? Have you ever felt the desperation and disappointment to this type of degree? I have had my share of problems but I do understand why some may drink a little or take a pill here and there to help with their unbearable pain. Heck, people WITH JOBS and BUTTLOADS OF MONEY still are drunks and drug addicts. But go ahead and take the judgement seat of God. Thankfully he can read hearts and knows truly why people do what they do and not judge by outward appearance. Thankfully YOU are not a true judge for anything.
My point! Smoking is just burning up money! That money could buy milk and cereal or PB & J and bread.
It is not uncommon for people to stand with one hand out while the other holds a lite smoke....we have places that will give you .50 on the dollar for gift cards. This way the parent can trade the gift card for money to buy smokes and booze or drugs. We can't give food gift cards due to this. We have to go buy the food for them and take it too them. Never have I had anyone ask for toothpaste! If someone is really out of work they will do whatever they have to do for their kids. We have a whole generation of free loaders and a huge number are here illegally but their kids are legal and so the legal kids get aid which their parents live on. People who sign up for every freebie and have their hands out. Stood behind a couple at the local health department while they were registering their 14th child. Neither parent had a green card and both were born in Mexico. The baby is on WIC until he is 5 then food stamps....That is normal living for a huge majority of people. Not the people who had jobs and lost them but a large group who see this as a better way to live. They know who to work the system. Our total church pantry budget was gone in the first quarter of last year due to large groups "discovering" us. We found that 6 people who had been getting food from us lived at the same address. Another group came together with the food they were getting at various pantries and had a grocery store in their garage selling to their neighbors....there are plenty of people in need and there are triple that who are playing the system...
I concur with ya Buddy. Politics aside{which should please Truth} WE All need to give some canned food to those in need.
Condoms to their parents would make more fiscal sense, if they can not feed them do not have them
"and are there not poor houses and debtors' prisons for the hungry?" Scrooge, much?
These kids are already born and they don't have food. Are you recommending retroactive birth control?
And what about the people that could afford them when they had them and then the economy fell apart and they lost thier job? I bet your parents whished they used a condom too.
YES BECAUSE EVERY FREAKING PERSON WHO HAS HAD A JOB, HAS IT FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIFE AND NEVER LOSES THEIR JOB AND HOMES. THAT NEVER HAPPENS RIGHT? GET A CLUE YOU MORON!
they won't use condoms, sterilization might be the answer
Very few people have a kid based on some preconceived logic considering their socioeconomic condition. I think they mostly just have sex and "boom". Rich or poor... but I do think people get "addicted" to the system. That is going to be impossible to fix socially from the individual standpoint. It will SOMEHOW have to be fixed by policy. I don't think they are bad people. It could probably happen to any of us depending on our circumstances...
The little girl in the photo on the headline looks as if she's never missed a meal. Not exactly the best photo for the story guys.
my sediments exactly!
Actually, it's a very accurate picture. She is probably living on cheap, high fat, high calorie, highly processed, nutrient-lacking food products.
I was thinking the same thing. It makes it hard for regular folks to buy the fact that 40 million people are "food insecure" with the obesity epidemic among the same population that is supposedly hungry.
Norm, maybe you've never noticed that eating healthfully is actually more expensive (and more time consumming). It's nice to see that you've probably never had to make the choice between buying a couple apples and a box of mac & cheese. The mac and cheese is cheaper and going to go further for a poor family. Not to mention the cost differences for things like chicken breast vs. fatty ground beef.
Please try to be considerate and have better information before making such judgments and propagating stereotypes.
Babies are fat. That is normal for any child. Get a life.
That little porker doesn't need an "extra pb and J", really
You are disgusting. I hope the next time you sit down to eat your food, you think about a little kid crying to his parents because they are hungry. When they do get food, they gorge themselved because they don't know when the next one is coming. Would you feel better if all their bones were showing? Have a little compassion. How about posting a picture of yourself so we can say all the things that are wrong with you. I hope karma comes around and bites you in the a**.
@dianee
It's sentiments, not sediments, if you're going to try and correct people for using what you feel is an inaccurate picture to describe and article, at least try to be intelligent enough to use the proper word.
"14% of the nation's population – or 1 out of 7 people – is now living on food stamps." Alright, RicH, I won't go to the dark side on this but that is a lot of fraking people on food stamps.
Yup. According to recent census figures (309 million folks) that is 43.26 (14%) million folks on food stamps. Damn!
We need to stop these wars that are bleeding Americans dry and invest that money into our infrastructure and future (children). China is ahead of the curve now and is heavily investing in its infrastructure and modernizing most aspects of its production/export sector.
China paranoia is so funny. In the 80s everyone said Japan was going to take over the world. Now they are destitute and becoming irrelevant. And China - a country with only a fraction of the GDP per capitia of the west - is the next boogey man. Good luck with that. But if you are concerned about American competitiveness, having a huge and increasingly large segment of the population suckling on the government teet is no way to achieve that goal.
Jesse: You sound like a complete tool. His POINT is that spending billions a week on military personnel patrolling countries we have no business in, that we are not even AT WAR WITH is a colossal waste of time. Those BILLIONS could be used to create new businesses and jobs for people. Better housing. Better EVERYTHING. If everyone had a decent house and job in this country, watch crime virtually disappear save a FEW that simply enjoy stealing.
Jem:
And you sound like a typical brain dead liberal imbecile. The government should provide everyone with a job and a chicken in every pot. How can you be so stupid?
what Jem is really saying is that take that war money etc and beef up more free programs for the filth of this country!
Jem:
billion for better housing? Um, go check out your local projects. The government has already tried your brilliant idea. Doesn't seem to work too well. Sorry Chica.
@Jesse: Yes Jem does sound like a typical liberal, just as you sound like a typical idiot with mouth diarrhea.
@Steve and Robbie: I nor Jem said ANYTHING about "beefing up free handout programs", or anything regarding "free handout" programs.
Do you honestly believe our money is better spent in Afghanistan than in upgrading our roads, freeways and rail transport system and bettering our education system for our future (our children)?
@ jack daniels
Nor did I. Jem seemed to infer that we can conquer crime by giving everyone a "decent house". I simply stated that this has been tried and failed. In fact these housing experiments are a major governmental black eye, infested with crime. Am I wrong?
Wow Jesse your ignorance is showing. Do you really look at yourself in the mirror when you go home and feel good about yourself? I bet you don't. You sound like a selfish turd that needs a swift kick in the balls to wake up to reality. Jem did not mention giving out free housing you IDIOT. Learn to read. The point is that society is left to ROT while we go 'clean up' and provide 'democracy' to countries that don't even want it. Stop reading Fox News and get a brain of your own and then try using it properly. Geez.
ARE YOU STUPID JESSE? Its not about giving out houses. Oh my God, its about allowing people to be able to provide for themselves with adequate pay to be able to AFFORD their own frackin house. Go die.
This does seem extremleyyyyyyyy high.......but it is believable at this point in time! A shame is what it is!!!!!!!!
let's all give a big Christmas thanks to the Sarah Palin's, et al that refuse to believe that it is the government's job to take care of its people – by people I mean the middle class. Chances are that a bigger percentage of those using food stamps are doing so for the first time – and they aren't freeloaders no matter what Dan thinks.
Show me the part of the Constitution that mandates free food for ANYONE!
@ Jim, The document that started this great nation listed unalienable rights (life liberty pursuit of happiness, sound familiar as I know many people like to forget the age of enlightenment).... And yes food and health care fall under "LIFE"
I lot of people think the constitution mandates free food for everyone - as long as it's not paid for with their money. As long as the bottom 50% pay virtually no income taxes whatsoever, the clammering for handouts will only get worse.
What is the middle class?
I looked it up, but it said "rhetorical question"...
To any kind lunch-lady (or man) giving out extra food to those you know need it, bravo. If we all do something small for people it may not change the world, but it sure means something to that person.
According to Sarah Palin....we just just give them all Smores.
I'm Alaskan, and no fan of Sarah Palin; I saw Glen Beck for the firsst time yesterday. I'm thing Beck is on meth! Valium for the both of them!
These far-right facist types could some good by working to solve the hunger and homeless problems in America.
I'm not patting myself on my back, but my wife and I are housing and helping feed 10 non-family members. We
ve been able to do this by cutting back on personal purchases. Here's a few ideas to help solve the real problems and help yourselves in the mean time.
Give up smoking and drinking alcohol; use the savings to feed folks. Working together each of us can make a difference?
Come on...enough with the Sarah Palin bashing when it has nothing to do with the subject. After a while it gets annoying. If this were about Sarah Palin then great, but seriously it's old.
The same goes for the "blame it on Obama" statements. He isn't the reason the country is in the state it is.
I'll quit bashing Sarah Palin when she stops bashing the rest of us. She is against good nutrition for kids all for the sake of campaigning and self love.
> and the kids were screaming, 'Hey, Mrs. So-And-So! Am I getting my pack of food for this weekend?' They were proud of it
We are growing a generation of freeloaders...
Would you rather they just go hungry? Do you really believe these kids are just freeloaders? Maybe their parents are, but don't blame the kid for it.
Yes, it's much better that the kids go hungry. Hopefully neither you nor your family has experienced hunger – hunger from not having food all day – do you realize what that does to a kid's brain? The brain runs on nothing but glucose – not eating makes someone unable to learn or function.
Yes, it's much better to have the kids go hungry – think Dan before you make such sweeping comments.
Aren't all kids free loaders .... So I guess you held a 9-5 and lived on your own at age 5
Freeloaders? In this economy I don't know how you can call anyone freeloaders. these kids are hungry and that is all you can say or think about? You are far worse then a "freeloader"
Sounds like to me you suffer from a case of mine-itis.
Talk about a stupid comment...
Den: The Article is about STARVING PEOPLE! Are you that stupid to comprehend this? I am willing to bet that you are some obese white male who has never had a real problem in his life and therefore cannot speak on this matter. Roast in hades you scum bag!
Liberals are always so angry. And they claim to be the compassionate ones ! How sick.
Liberals get angry when those in need are not helped... In comparison to being angry when one is asked to selflessly help..... Can't argue with you Den
Get a Clue. Why does he have to be a white male? Wow....I completely disagree with his comment and his stupidity speaks for itself, but you seem to be a very judgemental peice of ........... You really need to stop making assumptions about race...it makes your comment less worthy.
Get a Clue. Why does he have to be a white male? Wow...I completely disagree with Den's comment and his stupidity speaks for itself, but you seem to be a very judgemental peice of ........... You really need to stop making assumptions about race...it makes your comment less worthy.
You are disgusting. I'd like to see people like you go without a constant supply of food and see if you change your attitude a little. They are children, they don't know any better. Any attention they get at school is exciting and they all want to be involved when any activity happens.
Let me ask you have you ever been hungry? I have and just knowing you have something for another meal is exciting do not call hungry kids free loaders unless you can say you know what it is like to go to bed cold and hungry through no fault of your own, because you are a child.
Do you really believe that children who are hungry are free-loaders? I feel sorry for you!.Have you heard the adage " you can't take it with you when you go."
Hunger is a perpetual problem in America. Rather than calling names, how about helping others without judging. Give it a try; the reward is feeling good at the end of the day!
How could a kid be a freeloader!! Please. I work hard but yet still go home to an empty fridge and have no food to feed my daughter tonight. So while your eating dinner, remember that you co-worker might be the parent of one of those freeloading kids. What difference does it make if one is on food stamps or not if your hungry your hungry and no one should have to be hungry. Keeping food in all of our bellies is a matter of nation security.
I agree, Den. How about teaching their parents how to earn money to buy food or plant a garden instead of hand outs..
Den has a point, no matter if you like it or not. Government takes responsibility because parents/family refuse to. Most families have cable TV, but don't feed their kids properly. It's a social problem, not a financial one. Both sides (Dems and Repubs) are poor at solving social problems.
Dan, really? don't feed kids. Come on.
You ARE American are you not? I thought that was still one of our most decent traits left. Take care of the weak.
If at any time in the year you can pull out a little compassion I would hope it would be at least ONCE a year.
Maybe you could take a look at that little heart of yours and see if there is anything inside.
My heart goes out for you as much as it does for these hungry kids.
How dare you. These are children. Odds are very good that the children the author was speaking of were in the first or second grade. I can say that with almost absolute certainty because teaching in a high school I see students every year that I know would qualify for Free or Reduced lunches that never turn in their forms because of shame. Yet their younger siblings get the services in the lunch room because their parents send the forms in and they haven't acquired any negative stigma towards the program yet.
Stigma that is perpetrated by people like you. How can you as a human being willingly deny a child access to food. Whatever their parents situation is, it's not the fault of the child. We want to better the education system and raise test scores and have children rise above the level their parents are at. Well I can tell you from what I see every day that feeding them is step one.
When I walk around my classroom and I can actually hear my students stomachs growling it just rips at my heart. Those same students are the ones who can barely keep themselves awake or focused.
To hear an adult be so spiteful and closed minded about the health and well being about children turns my stomach. These children just want a chance to eat, sure they're happy and excited they know that they won't be feeling the physical pains of hunger over the weekend. And for you to condemn and criticize them for that... for shame.
Most likely he's not an only child. He feels pride at being able to bring home some food to help him AND his siblings.
Can't feed them? Don't breed them!
With all kinds of programs I wonder why kids go free – maybe parents exchange foodstamps for drug or booze money?
Have friend who used to work for Sears, he said most of the apartments in the government project buildings had brand new state of the art appliances and electronics in them while recipients were welfare queens and kings. These hungry kids wear $200 kicks and have iPhones, not all, but many and they are hungry.
"freeloaders"? Yes, there are some who bilk the system, but for each of those people, how many really need it? I am here today because my father's parents were on Relief, in addition to raising their own food in the backyard in a city.
Yes, there are many entitled people out there who cheat, but there are also many who need help, and more than just needing food, need gainful employment for their parents and access to food and clothing before that happens.
I have to laugh sadly when I see the "support an indigent foreign person" ads, can't they put together more programs to help the poor in the US?
I have an idea...start putting sterilization drugs in all the food consumed by the parents of these hungry kids. Maybe when they stop reproducing, the cycle will eventually end.
@ Migel: Too bad your father didn't do this.
@Migel - Uh, except they've already reproduced. Good job. You fail Reproduction 101. Go read about Darwin awards and the conditions that need to be fulfilled in order to be awarded.
Unless, of course, you're insinuating that we let the kids die while sterilizing their parents. In which case, I can only resort to an ad hominem attack and hope you yourself have no progeny and have been sterilized. "Freeloaders" are one thing, but I'm fairly certain that we do not want to encourage the introduction of compassion-deficient people into the population.
What is wrong with you?
Can't feed them don't breed them should be the law.
Birth control is much cheaper than food
Lunch lady.
For decades I have given to the Salvation Army at Christmas time. Taken as many as 6 angels off the tree and bought everything on their Christmas wish list. I won't do it ever again......this year the only names available were Hispanic. The 3 year old girl wanted Barbie, CD player, bike with training wheels, shirt, pants and shoes. I did not get her a CD player...my own daughter at 5 doesn't have one yet. The 4 year old boy wanted Electrontic toys, DS games, musical toy, shirt, pants and shoes. DS games??? Electronic toys ????? Leggos, puzzle, shirt, pants and shoes. My point, years ago the kids asked for "a" toy and needed clothes...coat, shoe, socks, some type of clothes. We are being taken and I know that if the children don't have food at home to eat then those children do not need to be in that house hold. Stop and think....if they can't feed these children they aren't keeping them clean, they aren't washing the kids clothes, they may and probably are cold due to no or very little heat. We had a father who was working on a farm and had his kids with him sleeping in the van. The kids were dirty and covered with head lice. They had infected bug bites all over them. They had no idea what a toothbrush was for. They had not had their shots. Their clothes were filthy and they had a terrible odor. He would drop the kids at the school on his way to work. The teachers and school secretary would clean them up. Parents brought clothes for the kids...they wore them till they were dirty and then he threw the clothes away. Didn't want to waste money on washing the clothes. Finally the county took the 3 kids and put them in foster care. The father was furious because it cut his aid off. He had the kids because the mother was even worse! He was working on the side under the table and getting food stamps, plus all the other perks. We were feeding the kids through the week and the local church was feeding them on the week-ends. What was he doing with the food stamps and other state/county handouts? I don't know who reported this family but they saved those kids lives...All 3 where adopted by their foster family. All three are getting a good education and I have never seen them dirty or hungry again.
An easy way to sort out your concerns is to give unconditionally. For some, going through life without being judgmental is hard. I learned this trick early in life: it's a common sense approach–> don't worry about the free loaders; perhaps the aid you provide is the difference between abject poverty and a meager subsistance.
I was just talking about this with my wife: she was being judgmental, too, I asked her if she could fathom teenage girls without feminine hygene products? There are many problems in America; with our high unemployment rate comes increasing need. If you don't want to help, don't. If you can't help with love in your heart, don't bother: there are many of us who will pick up the load.
Wes,
Thank you for reminding me that even the simplest luxuries I have access to I also take for granted. I can't imagine having access to things like simple hygiene products.
Good for you, KYGal! I used to be an assistant DA for a rural California county, in the Juvenile division. Many of the parents who lost their kids to foster-care only wanted them back for the food-stamps and welfare payments. None of it ever benefited the kids themselves. I used to cringe when I'd go to a status conference and see the child, groomed, clean and happy and then the parents would shuffle in: dirty, drug-addicted and unfit to raise children.
I do question why many of these school children are hungry and wonder if it's because the parents are buying convenience and junk foods with their funds instead of cheap, nutritious foods like rice, beans, eggs etc. In college (I worked my way through) I lived on a pittance but managed.
The white zone is for loading and unloading only.