Hunger and Poverty - Support Universal Free Nutritious School Meals

Children learn and behave better when they are well fed. Millions of children are hungry and startling numbers are suffering from diet-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Speak to your school district’s food service director and school board members. Every public school is mandated to have a Wellness Policy.
~ from Ten Things to Reduce Hunger and Provide Good Food For All in The Nation ~

With all the talk about this or that educational model as well as the drive for magnet and/or charter schools, too often I think that the best interests of our nation's children are left out of the equation. When we consider the spike in hunger and poverty, does it really make that much difference how children are taught if they don't have the necessary nutrition to allow their minds and bodies to focus on learning?

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. Personally, I don't know if that's true or not. I often don't eat breakfast and spend that time instead writing a lot of the posts for this blog.

While breakfast may not be as important for a fifty-three year old like me, I do believe it is crucial for a child. I can never remember going off to school without a full belly, but I knew kids in my classes who came to school hungry. They fidgeted and acted out all morning long and didn't calm down until after they had eaten lunch!

To read the introduction to this mini-series, go here.