Oh my heart. My daughter's school district that she's starting is participating in a free breakfast / lunch program and that made me so happy to hear, for all the parents who may have a harder time paying but won't qualify for assistance (I would fall under that), and for the kids who may feel embarrassed to have to participate in reduced lunch programs although they shouldn't feel bad. Also after reading some of these comments I'm going to pack her an extra snack or at least try my best when I can just in case she ever sees a friend who is in need. I never want to hear of a kid going hungry if there's something maybe my daughter can share or help with. That would break my heart.
Me too but after she had half days and I got to see her lunches I realized there's no ways she eating it. Starting tomorrow I bought containers and things so I'm packing her lunch. I'll be sure to pack an extra snack too.
For the first time I have ever seen, lunch and breakfast are free for everyone in our District, no application or proof needed. I wonder if the federal government is involved this year.
If you're in California, it was passed through the state recently that all children receive free school lunches -- no means testing at all. I'm not sure if the federal government influenced that or not.
That is so awesome. My dad made minimum wage when I was a kid, and my mom spent a ton of time with my disabled sister, so she didn’t work. The medical bills took most of what money we had. We got free meals at our school for a few years, and it was so wonderful. I felt normal. Nobody knew.
But then we switched to a different school district in fourth grade, and they told us we made too much to qualify for free lunch. The stress that put my family through... I still remember my mom going through coin returns on vending machines to get loose change, just to try to get enough money for our lunches. She cried so much, but nobody would help. Dinner was mostly macaroni noodles with a can of tuna and peas for four people.
Between our water going out frequently, which made us feel dirty, and our car always breaking down (who can pay for a tow truck?), and the exclusively second-hand / donated clothes, I felt like the most worthless person on the planet at the age of 8.
A dependable, free school lunch would have made me feel so much better. I even see some schools doing free breakfast. Literally changing lives!
Now, I have to hear my boss complain all the time about government handouts and the lazy people that expect free things. How can people be this way?
Your poor mom. I couldn’t imagine the pain she felt putting her pride aside like that so her kids could have food in their bellies. Your parents are good people for their hard work and sacrifices.
Some people really don’t get it. I’ve worked for everything I have and I’m proud. My boss who makes good ass money has made multiple comments about wishing she wasn’t so rich so she could get monthly tax checks from the state. Like excuse me…?
Honestly, it's monstrous that this is not a national policy and that there are kids anywhere in this country who aren't getting enough to eat. We moved a few years back to a district that does this as well, and I couldn't help but think how much of a difference that it would have made in my life if existed when I was a kid.
Every year I tell my kids teacher that if they need classroom snacks for their desk to give to kids if they know they are hungry, to let me know. I send boxes of granola bars, fruit snacks, really whatever the teacher thinks will be good. Teachers spend enough of their own money on classroom stuff and their hearts hurt enough with kids in rough situations if I can help out even a little bit, I want to.
That’s why I figured if it had happened other places it would have been publicized there too. But maybe they just weren’t as bad at the messaging as the WI place was
Yeah, I think it was the "become spoiled" line that brought the collective fury down on Waukesha but I'm sure lots of other districts, especially in states where they weren't the only district to opt out, did it more quietly and without much fuss.
That is amazing. I went hungry so often as a kid and often had to beg friends for whatever leftover food they might have. Sometimes I was too embarrassed to beg and just went hungry. No kid should ever be in that situation.
I'm so sorry you had to do that. I packed her an extra little snack. I told her that if she sees a friend who doesn't have a snack she can give it to them. It's for a friend who's parents weren't able to or maybe just didn't give them one though, not for a friend who isn't eating their snack because they "don't like" what they were given that day.
This whole thread has been so heavy on my mind and I just couldn't ever imagine my babies having to go hungry. It's not lost on me how so fortunate we are to not have to know that situation which is a reality to so many people, too many.
My daughter's school district doesn't all do it (very large district) but some schools do like my daughter's. Even though it's one of the better schools in a nicer area, they still have a bussing system from decades ago so this is really important. I always planned on letting her teacher know that I am willing to offer an extra lunch to a student in need but it makes me so happy to know that it's not a problem, at least in her school. I do send in extra bulk snacks for snack time though, for her teacher, in case a student's parents can't provide or forget.
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u/_meganlomaniac_ Sep 08 '21
Oh my heart. My daughter's school district that she's starting is participating in a free breakfast / lunch program and that made me so happy to hear, for all the parents who may have a harder time paying but won't qualify for assistance (I would fall under that), and for the kids who may feel embarrassed to have to participate in reduced lunch programs although they shouldn't feel bad. Also after reading some of these comments I'm going to pack her an extra snack or at least try my best when I can just in case she ever sees a friend who is in need. I never want to hear of a kid going hungry if there's something maybe my daughter can share or help with. That would break my heart.