We are a society that seeks to have the brightest kids in our school system. We want to nurture them with knowledge, to help them learn and grow. There are, however, things that impact the ability to learn. One of them is food. 3 out of 4 public school teachers say that students regularly come to school hungry. 81% say it happens at least once a week, according to No Kid Hungry. Educators agree that kids need to start the day with a healthy breakfast in order to do well in school. But though nearly every school offers breakfast, 50% of teachers still say the problem has increased.
Many of the people who are on the CROP Hunger Walk committee and those who walk, have seen the impact of the lack of food for children. I’ve been to a PADS evening to make food and feed the people who seek out food and shelter for the night. The work that Housing Forward, one of the 7 agencies we support, does in providing shelter, called PADS Shelter, which accommodates 43-70 individuals nightly, depending on location. A lottery system is used when there are more clients than beds available. On some nights people are turned away for the shelter they seek. Each night, usually a church, houses people seeking food and shelter. This is all done by volunteers who have a sense of giving to people in need.
Among that group of people are families with children seeking these services. I have seen their faces and their eyes looking forelorn. The meals that are provided may be the only food they have for the day.
The CROP Hunger Walk’s mission is to spread the word on the issue of hunger and in so doing, raising money for this cause. Distributed locally, 25% of the total raised, and 75% to the work that Church World Service does in the United States and around the world.
Please join us Sunday, May 1st for the 33rd Annual CROP Hunger Walk. Sign up here and make yourself known for helping in this cause.
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