$71.12 That's how much I spent on food for my classroom today.
Peanut butter, bread, bananas, oranges, apples, nutri grain bars, granola bars, two boxes of cereal, oatmeal packets... I'm hoping it will last at least two months.
I wonder how many other teachers across America just spent a good chunk of their grocery money this month on other people's children.
But we all face the same dilema...how do you sit and eat your own lunch when you know some of your students don't have enough to eat?
= new reply since forum marked as read
I can;t believe you have to do this ...what about free lunch programs? are there kids that are not getting that help?
Honestly, I don;t know what I'd do without the lunch program, my kids literally eat me out of house & home during summer...thanks god they can also get lunch at the Boys & Girls Club in summer... How horrible that food insecurity is so rampant in our country 
January 26, 2010 by Liz Barrett
South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer now says he regrets comparing poor people to stray animals.
South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer now says he regrets comparing poor people to stray animals.
Those good old boys in South Carolina sure know how to cut to the chase, especially when they're chasing poor people. Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer made national headlines after warning lawmakers and citizens at a town hall meeting a few days ago not to give food to poor people or they'll breed like stray animals.
“My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You’re facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that.”
http://www.examiner.com/article/andre-bauer-shows-true-gop-colors-don-t-feed-poor-people-they-breed-like-stray-animals
Some people may wonder why I flame the Baggers and the GOP. They have some wonderful
ideas about the disabled, and are not afraid to show it. This is what staying at home in 2010 got us and this is what we're up against:
In addition to statements raised by Fallon about poor people going out to eat instead of cooking at home, this OP shows how prone to myths by paid shills Republicans are, I urge people to read the AlterNet article linked on an OP posted by a new member, Whovian.
Near the end, the author realized some poor people had never had the opportunity to eat a meal in a restaurant before:
The Political Awakening of (A) Republican:
'I Had Viewed Whole Swaths of the Country and the World as Second-Class People'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021311534
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/political-awakening-republican-i-had-viewed-whole-swaths-country-and-world-second?page=0%2C5&paging=off
So true. Heartbreakingly true.
As are all the other teachers I know. Your sacrifice will be remembered forever by the grateful children you feed and teach. 
in this discussion. You give me a chance to reflect & speak on my own thin times as a child, so thank you and no need for apology. Your heart's obviously in the right place. 
What's called "food insecurity" these days is often invisible to others. In our case there were 4 kids and we lived in a large urban area (inner city). We were skinny but we weren't starving--there would be something for dinner, though cheap and not a large amount. Like maybe soup or hotdogs and beans. But I remember Fridays were often pretty grim (food shopping was on Saturday since both parents worked at low paying PR/publicity jobs). Some days there would be lunch money, some days not. It was never predictable. So we pretended, out of embarrassment, that we were OK and just covered it up. I remember we'd eat sugar sandwiches and think that was a big treat (even my Dad would take 2 pieces of bread to work, nothing inside). But we weren't alone--I remember going to a friend's house whose family was in similar circumstances and she gave me a piece of bread with mayonnaise on it--that's all that was in the fridge. An empty fridge with a loaf of bread and a jar of mayo and she offered it with a smile that I've never forgotten. I also knew a family that was reasonably well off and when I'd go to their house sometimes after school we'd have cookies and chocolate milk. So you learn how to scrounge. I think I was more embarrassed about my clothes than the lack of lunch money.
Positive outcome--all of us kids got through college (working and borrowing) and all of us have enough to eat now. There can be residual damage, eg. I have a sister who is not poor, but still worried about not having enough money. These days so many people are in the situation of having to watch every penny tho, so you can't feel anything but blessed if food is not a problem. I think what it's done for me is that I'm acutely aware --that while abject poverty is not hard to recognize, there is a gray area where families don't ask for assistance, where they're under the illusion that they can still "make it." I'm here to say that often the kids just adapt to the situation as best they can. The lucky ones get out of it eventually. If I can enlighten anyone on this, I'm glad.
What's the statistic now?--one in five American kids is living in poverty in the richest nation on earth--yep, here it is:
------------------
(Reuters) - The number of children in the United States considered poor rose by 1 million in 2010, the U.S. Census said Thursday, with more than one in five of the youngest Americans now living in poverty.
"Children who live in poverty, especially young children, are more likely than their peers to have cognitive and behavioral difficulties, to complete fewer years of education, and, as they grow up, to experience more years of unemployment," the Census said.
In 2010, when the Census survey was conducted, 21.6 percent of children across the country were poor, compared to 20 percent in 2009.
That was mainly due to a rise in the number of children living below the federal poverty threshold, defined as an annual income of $22,314 for a family of four, to 15.7 million from 14.7 million in 2009.
The figures reflect the overall state of the economy. The national poverty rate stands at 15.3 percent and the unemployment rate is at 9 percent some two years after the recession that began in 2007 officially ended.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/17/us-usa-poverty-children-idUSTRE7AG2C920111117
Breaks my heart.
I 'quietly' posted this in the NJ Forum last week. The food bank we give a lot of time to is quoted in this article:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1066108
In my community - our 'poor' are hidden so to speak. Because of the wealth of the community at large - and cost of living - 26K for a single mom is not enough to feed, house, clothe her child. It's because of the people in this article - the ones who cannot get TAMP/Food Stamps - that we give.
If it was a long road, then that makes it all the harder...
Welcome to DU, former-republican.
like you keeping an eye out and helping where you can DonRedwood. Feels healing somehow, all these years later. So you have helped me. And I know that every one of those children that you treat so kindly WILL remember you --& at a deep, life-affirming level they benefit immensely from knowing that somebody cares. You have not only given them a bite to eat, you have given them hope. If they are lucky enough to get out of poverty and have a different perspective they'll look out for others too. Often the most generous people are those who have had the least.
Thanks for posting this--it really needs to be said. People who think that the poor have it easy in this country are very much mistaken. Nothing burns me more than to hear that line of Republican Rightwing BS. None of those fat cats can imagine what it's like for the 1 in 5 children living in hand-to-mouth poverty, and those who are teetering on the edge of it. It is a stressful, precarious existence. But they don't see it and they don't care.
Bless you, DonRedwood. U R an 
I meant no disrespect
but too often kids came to school having had no breakfast. I'd find this out when one would start complaining of a stomach ache. The first question I'd ask was what did they have for breakfast. That's when I shared whatever I could. It was sometimes difficult because the children (primary) would be embarrassed about taking the "snack" from me. I'd tell them that I knew their mom probably was just in too much of a hurry and forgot about breakfast or some such justification..."snack" was going to spoil if somebody didn't eat it...etc, etc, etc...anything to help them save face.
Of course sometimes someone would say..."Well, you shouldn't do that...it's not your job. The parents are supposed to feed their own kids." Invariably they were the ones who were sitting front and center in church the previous Sunday.
People sell our teachers short. It's sad, but true. But I still believe that teachers shape the world and do an outstanding job of it. 
Both you and LWolf sound as though you work for pretty poor districts...do you have a Title 1 classification? I'm in Clark County, Nevada and I thought we had it bad, but at least they spread our paychecks over the year, so I don't have to limit myself to Ramen noodles all summer, although I am driving a 22 year old car. A lot of our kids qualify for free/reduced cost breakfast and lunch. We used to get a $200 credit card for classroom supplies, but that went away about 4 years ago, along with our raises with-in our "step raise". I teach PE, so I'm used to the big classes, but this year I took on a Health class also, and I'm averaging about 42 students/class there. The fact that you buy food for your kids is awesome on your part. Like the poster from the 80's said, it'll be a great day again in America when our schools have all the money they need, and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.
The tragic part here is that it, of course, is not the kids OR their parents faults. I wish there was a way to get the Romney's of the world to see just how their philosophies and policies are affecting the kids, but then again, they wouldn't give a rat's ass. If a child is hungry, they can't learn. I keep thinking back to an old Mel Brooks movie called "Life Stinks" where he plays a wealthy man who is forced to live on the streets for a month with none of the resources & advantages he's used to having. I don't think Romney would last 2 days.
Oh, well. Back to lesson plans. Hang in there.
I've got sources for reading and writing; grammar is where the holes are.
all you do in your dedication for our children. You are an angel. 
by your example others will try to be as well.
Fuck you Heritage Foundation!!
and thank you. but please continue being a role model for how it ought to be... 
someone with such a good heart needs to be recognized!
I salute you sir!
