1. I grew up on Food Stamps. I know the difference they make for families that are struggling, and I also know how the fiercely limited amount provided affects the household shopping for less than healthy options, instead reaching for more filling choices, often less expensive. I remember reaching for bread and butter for a snack instead of reaching for an apple. I remember not knowing for sure if we'd have dinner at home or at a soup kitchen. I remember having to eat the school lunches (because we qualified for the free lunch program) and thinking my friends who could afford to bring lunch to school were so lucky. I remember thinking that I did not want my kids to grow up like this.
2. One of the issues I really want Obama to take on in the next term is fixing the Farm Bill. Yes, that's me presuming he's going to win. When I attended a recent vision board evening with some other BOMs (Business Owner Moms), I learned a technique about visualization or laws of attraction: talking about it as if it already were, instead of just a possibility will make it more real and your actions towards the goal more defined and effective. The Farm Bill is not something I can speak eloquently on, but I know that the crops that are subsidized are the ones that add ingredients to our foods that are not healthy - ones that are adding to the obesity epidemic. If we want people to be able to be productive, healthy, contributing, happy members of our society, it starts with proper nourishment; 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies a day, and most of us are not getting that, especially the poor.
3. One in eight children is qualified for Food Stamps. That means a good chunk, like 12.5% are probably not sustained with enough energy to even focus in school to progress to the middle class that Barack Obama talked about in his DNC speech. Children ought not to be left to fend for themselves. Programs aimed at the poor, especially, poor chidlren, need to be successful in the big picture. A statement I read on The Feminist Breeder's Facebook page struck me as so completely true it is almost laughable "I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking. If all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not
a child housed, and why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of what pro-life is.”
I highly encourage you to set aside an hour and watch the documentary Food Stamped.
I highly encourage you to set aside an hour and watch the documentary Food Stamped.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and your personal experiences. Isn't it funny how school lunches bring up so many memories for many of us? I always wanted to buy lunch growing up and my mom wouldn't ever let me.
ReplyDeleteI will take some time to watch Food Stamped. I agree with you about the Pro-life camp typically ends at birth. In fact, I don't think I ever thought of it before.
I worked in the inner-city schools of San Diego when I was teaching and I would bring snacks to work with me because I always had kids waiting at my doorstep that hadn't eaten a good breakfast. It is something we need to shed more light on.
Laura Lohr @mommycanrun
I totally agree - providing HEALTHY food is so important! In America there is NO excuse for families to go hungry! What bothers me is that food stamps are often used for less healthy options. Healthy, unprocessed, 'whole' foods are MUCH less expensive and more nutritious than packaged crap. It would be less expensive to provide this - and the kids & families who need it would feel healthier, probably have a little added energy at work & school and also be in better physical form their whole lives. Seems like a win for all sides!
ReplyDeleteI too always wanted to eat the school lunches - my husband's family was on food stamps for about a year and he said the same thing you do - he wishes he could have brought his lunch.
I look forward to seeing your future posts about this!
my son was a cashier in high school. he said most of the people who bought groceries with food stamps bought dorritos and oatmeal cream pies...
ReplyDeleteour dinner conversation tonight was all about the new school lunches with smaller portions and mandatory veggies...my kids were outraged at the amt of food thrown away..they said the kids will not even attempt to eat the new foods.
seems we need to educate more than anything!