Being a teacher, I see many sad home lives and situations for my students and children in my school. There are children who are unloved, uncared for, and unappreciated. Some are starved for food, some are starved for attention, and others are starved for warmth and shelter.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are big times of the year for our needy school children to get extra help. By using the term “needy” I am referring to the children at school that are less fortunate when it comes to having food and clothing.
Throughout the Thanksgiving holidays many organizations and clubs host can food drives and other activities to help these families with holiday meals. During Christmas, many different groups sponsor children and ensure that they have warm clothing, coats, and Christmas gifts.
However as most of us know, these children are not only hungry, cold, and needy during the holidays.
For this reason I am very pleased that my community does something for the children all year long.
We have several different organizations that use the public schools to help children and families that are in need of food.
Each Friday (or during long weekends and breaks) these children are given a bag of food to carry home.
The counselor usually quietly and privately slips the bag into the child’s backpack.
While the food may not the choice of many children, the children who receive are very appreciative.
We even have the children come and ask when they are going to receive more food in their backpacks. It most saddens me to think that they look so forward to canned soups, meat, and veggies.
I am very proud of my community and school for taking the initiative to care for these children throughout the year and not only during the “giving seasons”.
Concern of Public Education- Funding