Summer school meal programs show great need

By Globe Gazette

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These two words really tear at the heart: Hungry kids.

Hear them and we might think of famine-stricken or war-torn countries half a world away from Iowa.

But look closer: There are hungry kids - far too many of them - right in our neighborhoods. Thankfully, some of these kids had fuller tummies and better summer days because of federally funded meal programs and schools that implemented them.

Five North Iowa school districts offered meals through summer food services programs.

Families that used the programs were faced with dwindling resources and the higher food costs. It all amounted to agonizing circumstances for many families trying to make ends meet.

The numbers are as surprising as they are worrisome:

- In Belmond as many as 220 students had hot meals during June and July (125 were expected the first day; 222 showed up).

- In Charles City about 400 meals a week were served for two months.

Students in Forest City, Hampton-Dumont and Mason City also were offered meals.

All five sites had to qualify for federal funding for the meals program, which allows anyone 18 years or younger to get the free meals whether enrolled in summer school or not.

Ann Murphy, food service director for the Belmond-Klemme School Districts, said she had no idea how great the need was and will look into expanding her program.

North Iowa is no different than the rest of Iowa. Since 2005 there has been a statewide 6 percent increase in free and reduced-price lunch applications. Mason City shows an even greater increase, from 34.4 percent to 45.3 percent.

Other facts from the Iowa Department of Education reflect the need:

- In Iowa, 1 in 6 kids, or 123,901, do not have access to nutritionally adequate or safe food.

- In Iowa, 14.4 percent of all households, or 172,000, fall under those same circumstances.

- According to Food Research and Action Center's “State of the State” report, the child poverty rate in Iowa is 13.7 percent, or 91,506 children.

- In 2002, there were 103 serving sites in summer food service programs in Iowa, which had an average daily participation of 6,578 during June. In 2010, there were 203 serving sites with an average daily participation of 12,442. This year the number has climbed to 251.

These numbers are unacceptable, yet given today's economy - and who knows what awaits given developments of recent days? - there's no magic wand to make things instantly better.

What we can do is make sure our communities assess the need, then provide help where we can - as these school districts did by taking advantage of federal funding.

No kid should have to go hungry in a state that feeds the world.