NR: Children who don't eat when there is no school

KristysRedBarn

We have several students who don't eat when there is no school.  It's really hard to say why.  The longer I'm here at this job, and the more I get to know the students, the harder it is to see.  Some of the students who have this problem we are able to help as a staff in very simple ways, such as the child lives next door and is friends with another staff member's child, so they just ask them to eat with them at their house.  But, that doesn't work for every child. 

This is a four day weekend for us due to some staff training.  Well that means four days of no food for some of these kids, and one child in particular that we know of.  We found out it's "Fred's" birthday this weekend, so a couple of us took some items over for him, trying not to make too big a deal out of it, and like we do this for everyone.  A staff member will occasionally buy the "wrong" flavor of milk out of the milk machine, or the "wrong" snack, and since it's not what we wanted, we offer it to Fred when we pass him in the hall.  We try to set this up and do it in a way that won't embarrass him.   We had him move some boxes in the office (that didn't really need moved) one day and sent him home with a sandwich as a thank you for helping.  If we have a late start due to snow a lot of the teachers will bring in granola bars because we will have kids that won't have gotten breakfast since it wasn't served at school.

I know some much larger school districts have formal programs, like backpacks for kids, but we're such a small school we don't have that.  Do you know what your school district or school staff does?  Suggestion for us to be able to help Fred in a way that won't embarrass him?  We have spring break coming up and I'm worried.

Cissi64

I don't really have any advice for what to do other than what you are already doing. ( And bless you and your coworkers for doing it!).  Here in Ky they serve lunch ( and sometimes breakfast) every day during the summer at certain schools and some churches that is part of the school lunch program.  It is open to any child of school age ( and I even think they feed younger sibs but not adults) and  you don't even have to prove need...just show up.  I don't know how the funding works and I don't know if they do it for shorter breaks like Spring Break. 

There are a couple of local churches here that sponsor the backpack program at some of the schools.  Maybe a local church could help you out.

The only other thing I can think of is for staff to approach Fred and be honest about the fact that you know he doesn't eat on weekends and you don't want to embarrass him but you care about him and want him to be able to eat.  To save his pride maybe you could find more jobs for him to do to "earn" the food.  Giving money can be tricky because sometimes there are nasty parents who will take the money away from the kid for their own use ( and not just to pay rent or buy groceries).  You might also want to find out if there are younger sibs and contact someone at their school(s) because they probably aren't eating either.

GuppyAmy

Some of my schools have the backpack program but maybe if you talk to the principal and he'd be able to send home some left over cereal containers, milk about to expire, and just have the teacher grab his back pack and fill it during lunch and then when he leaves it's just there. Esp. right before spring break there is probably a fair amount of stuff in  the fridge that won't make it until they get back.

I work in a very poor inner city so many of my kids don't eat if there isn't school. It's sad esp. when we come back and they eat like three servings! 

KristysRedBarn

Cissi, we do have a summer program, our rec commission runs it.  But nothing is available during shorter breaks.  I backpack program might be something to consider working on over the summer.  I just want to make sure Fred is taken care of right now before I start digging deeper, KWIM?  I'm afraid of opening up a huge can of worms and I won't be able to do anything for Fred.

Olive44

My heart breaks for those kids.  I'm a member of the Junior League in my city and we run a backpack program for a couple of elementary schools around town.  I don't really have any advice to give, but I think it's good what you are doing so far.  I'm not really sure what else you could do.  Such a tough situation. 

swanck

Kristy.  
I'm not sure it this will help, but my thoughts would be to call a local church and ask the pastor and congregation to help.
I love what you and your fellow teachers are doing, but people can't expect you to worry about it every break.

If he's not being fed at home, then there are other issues at home.  I think you could call a pastor in town, and explain your concern.  Ask if some people from the church could take meals over every couple of days.  Or if they could gather a box of groceries to leave at the house.  
That way some others with resources are looking out for him - and he doesn't have to be pointed out in class.

I get phone calls like these often.  We have a special fund to help people in need, and arrange meals quite often.

So maybe look to resources in the community and tip them off to the need.

 

Hope that helps.
And bless you for all you do. 

bbhalphen

I'm not sure what our school does.  I haven't come across that problem.  That's really sad.  I would also check with a local church.