The problem of childhood hunger can be fixed
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A recent town hall in Cullowhee laid out a heartbreaking problem in our public schools, as well as a sensible solution. The problem is hunger. The solution is to provide free meals to all students in our public schools. But, how do we get there?
One in six of our children goes hungry every day. In rural communities, this number can be as high as one in three. As one can imagine, hungry kids cannot learn. They go to school to train for a successful life, and yet many students across our state find themselves distracted by the gnawing in their empty stomachs. Their ability to pay attention and focus on assignments lags, and they often become irritable. All the while, many are ashamed to ask for help.
At the town hall hosted by the nonpartisan School Meals for All North Carolina coalition, school nutrition staff, educators and other advocates shared information about the impact that food insecurity has on families in Western North Carolina. We also learned about school meals issues and how additional resources like food pantries are in demand due to the need that exists in our region.
The information shared was a reminder of why I am passionate about advocating for school meals for all in North Carolina. I care deeply about the wellbeing and success of our students because I am a mother and grandmother to 18 grandchildren. My family has relied on no-cost school meals for years. When I reflect on the statistic that one in 3 three children in rural communities go hungry daily in North Carolina, I think about my 18 grandbabies. I watch them playing and imagine that six of them are struggling with not having enough to eat — trying to keep up with the others but finding it so difficult. The prisoners in our state are fed three meals a day, yet children are going hungry while they are at school. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Fortunately, there’s a clear solution to how we can change this dire situation: provide school meals to all students, at no cost to their families. The School Meals for All NC coalition is leading this charge by working with the N.C. General Assembly to end hunger in our classrooms. Thanks in part to the coalition’s efforts, state lawmakers added provisions to the state budget that prohibited schools from withholding student records or keeping students from participating in graduation due to school meal debt. It also permanently eliminated the reduced-priced lunch co-pay. This means that students who qualify for reduced price meals now permanently receive both breakfast and lunch at school at no cost to their families.
There is also public support for this solution in North Carolina. According to a poll conducted in 2023, 81% of North Carolina voters are in favor of school meals for all. This is important, because there is more work to do.
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Many hard-working families in Western North Carolina and around the state still do not qualify for no-cost meals. As an example, a North Carolina family of four that has an annual household income of $55,500 does not qualify for reduced-price meals. In fact, nearly 20% of children in North Carolina who don’t have enough to eat live in families that don’t qualify.
And even for those who do qualify for reduced-price meals, actually going through the necessary administrative process can be a challenge. Parents might make an error or get confused while trying to navigate the administrative ins-and-outs.
That’s why providing school meals for all, at no cost to families, is the simple solution. It removes many of the barriers that prevent students from accessing the nutrition they need to succeed. Eight states are already doing this and are seeing improved academic outcomes, better attendance and fewer disciplinary issues.
I will continue being an advocate for free school meals because I want to make sure that no child goes hungry in North Carolina. Won’t you join me?
(Mary Beth Cochran is a mom, grandma, homemaker, a “School Meals for All NC” champion and a “Mom's Rising” Fellow. She lives in Clyde.)
