Sadly, many children in our area are going an entire weekend with little or no food when a school meal is not available.
One child reported that on Friday he tried to eat as much of his friends’ leftovers at lunch as he could hold because he didn’t know if he would eat again until Monday morning. Another, ate paper to keep the hunger pains away.
Children who are suffering from food insecurity do not perform well academically, display unacceptable behavior, and have poor attendance due to illness or unexcused absences.
Fortunately, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland launched the BackPack Program to help alleviate childhood hunger. Nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods are sent home in backpacks on Friday afternoons to ensure the child has something to eat until they return for breakfast on Monday morning.
The Murray Lions supports this program with through volunteer manpower and the purchase of snack food to support an entire month of weekend lunches in Calloway County. #WeServe.
Murray Lions Club 