A Test on the First Day of School
Posted by Nancy Withbroe on Tuesday, September 6, 2011
After dinner on the first day of school, as my teenage sons were complaining about the first round of homework assignments, I sat down at the dining room table to sort out the paperwork crumbled in their backpacks.
Buried among the permission slips, emergency contact forms, and PTA membership invitations was a form to sign up for free and reduced-price school meals.
I studied this piece of paper, trying to imagine if I would have noticed it if my family could not provide nutritious breakfast or lunch for our boys. Even if I had noticed it and understood what was being offered, I’m not sure I could have figured out how to complete it. The copy was confusing and there wasn’t a note telling me how to get help if I didn’t speak English. I expect it would feel like trying to fill out an income tax return without any assistance: a frustrating and demoralizing exercise.
Our family lives in Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. Yet, my sons attend public schools that reflect the growing racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity of America’s suburbs. Both schools include many students for whom English is not their first language and/or who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. My boys have friends who can’t afford clothes, school supplies or field trip fees.
At my younger son’s middle school, where 65% of students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, free breakfast is offered to all students during their first-period class. Meals are delivered smoothly to every classroom, every day, and that most kids choose to eat them. Everyone enjoys this welcoming start to their day.
Yet, even though this school is doing so much to ensure kids are surrounded by nutritious food, how many families are missing the opportunity to sign their kids up for lunch because the form, which varies with each county, is confusing ? How much more could my son’s classmates achieve if signing up for free meals were easier and friendlier?
When I showed my son the form, he said, “Hey Mom, aren’t you doing something to fix this?” I proudly told him that yes, I have the privilege of raising money to enable Share Our Strength and the Maryland Partnership to End Childhood Hunger to remove barriers and to ensure that no kid in his school is hungry.
Do you have a free and reduced-price meals application story you’d like to share? Please comment below about your experience.
September 6, 2011 | 7 comment(s) | Tags: back to school, free meals, no kid hungry
Comments
7 reader comments so far.
I just read the form and it makes perfect sense to me. I don't understand why English would not be a first language for someone in the house. I am first generation and spoke only Ukrainian for the first 5 years of my life, because I lived in an area surrounded by others who spoke Ukrainian and English (not always very well). When I went to school I was taught English. No excuse for being unfamiliar with it. I needed to 'catch up'. You know what, I did.
The reason children are hungry today is because their parents are not around to take care of them. No responsible adult would not feed a child. There are food pantrys every where. If a child is hungry it is because of some kids who wanted to act grown up but not handle the responsibility.
If you told me that whole 2 parent families are going hungry in America ... This I could understand. They may have fallen on hard times. But single families are only poor choices and the problems that come with those choices.
Posted by Mary on September 6, 2011
In early July I sat at my desk preparing a mailing to go home to the parents of the students attending school in my school district. As the Director of Food Services in a relatively affluent community, I know the importance of the free and reduced form to those families who need the help their completion of the form can offer. I too have read, and reread that form and tried to find a simpler way to get all of the information necessary without confusing the parent who has difficulties reading, or who does not speak the English language. But the government form requires certain language and format...The one thing that our state School Nutrition Association did this year was to develop a very simply worded letter to parents that we approve for reduced price meals explaining that they most likely will qualify for SNAP and if they apply and do qualify, they can save at least $120 per child over the course of the year as their children will qualify for free meals automatically. We need to find more outreach to families struggling so they too can avoid the application process and still receive the benefits we can offer. I applaud Share our Strength in their efforts to help reduce the barriers to feeding programs for children.
Posted by Mary Ann on September 6, 2011
It's interesting that Montgomery County doesn't provide instructions or a Spanish translation, while Frederick County does. (For non-Maryland residents, Frederick County is adjacent to Montgomery County, is less affluent, and has a few 'food deserts' recently identified by the USDA.) Frederick County lunch information is available at http://fcps.schoolwires.com/152910725163030847/lib/152910725163030847/2011-2012FARM-ENGLIS.pdf. Phone numbers are provided in several locations for applicants who need help. Maybe Montgomery County or other schools could borrow some of this information.
Posted by Kate on September 6, 2011
I live in Washington County Va and the county's nutrition department mailed out letters at the beginning of school to notify parents that all children who's families were receiving SNAP or TANIF funds were automatically enrolled in the free lunch program. No forms to fill out. I was very surprised to see the communication between state and county entities but it seems to be a great program for all.
Posted by Lisa on September 7, 2011
It's too hard to actually feed your own children. (do these parents feed themselves? Could they pass some of whatever they are having to their kid?) Now filling out your name & a few more things on a piece of paper in order to get free food is too hard too? Really??
Posted by seriously? on September 20, 2011
Thank you for your comment. With record job losses and poverty at an all-time high, many families simply don’t have the resources to provide nutritious meals for themselves or their kids every day. There are also several barriers other than paperwork that prevent kids from participating in these programs, which is why our campaign focuses on breaking down barriers so that already eligible kids are participating in these programs. Kids who participate in these critical safety net programs have a fighting chance at doing better in school and succeeding in life.
Posted by Clay Dunn on September 21, 2011
Breaking down barriers? More like breaking down BONDS and CREATING barriers between parent and child.
Children can and should rely on their parents for their needs. Parents --even poor ones -- have been feeding their children for millennia. This is govt do-goodery; implementing 'programs' to force children to look to GOVT, not mom and dad for their daily bread.
And it's the children most connected to mom and dad who have the best chance at succeeding in life, thank you.
Posted by Really?? on September 21, 2011
Post a comment
All fields are required (your e-mail address will not be displayed)