What is childhood
food insecurity?
What is childhood food insecurity?
Family incomes are not keeping up with food prices. In Cincinnati, about 22,000 public school students receive free school lunch because of low family income. But school only accounts for 178 days a year. Childhood Food Solutions, starting with one zip code, is providing food for hungry children on the other 187 days a year.
The situation is properly called “childhood food insecurity” because it is more than the here and now of being hungry – it is a set of behaviors that develop from not knowing when or from where your next meal will come.
What would you do if you were 12 years old and often hungry? Would you turn to selling drugs or find a man who is interested in your sexuality? These are actual solutions to a real problem that exists in many communities in Cincinnati.
Childhood Food Solutions wants to make education seem like a better solution but first we believe we must provide food for the 187 non-school days.
Unloading food at Taylor Academy
Childhood Food Solutions is focusing on solving childhood food insecurity one zip code at a time. We started in zip code 45225, the communities around Millvale and North Fairmount, including English Woods and the Fay Apartments. Poverty runs over 50% in zip code 45225. Median annual family income was recorded as less than $14,000 by the 2000 Census. To a child living in 45225 it means often coming home to no food, missing meals and going to bed hungry.
Without an adequate diet, often children do not thrive. They are more likely to become ill and recover slowly from illness. They have trouble concentrating in school and do poorly on standardized tests. Ultimately, poor school performance hinders chances for an adequate career, resulting in low adult income. So beginning in childhood, food insecurity contributes to an ongoing cycle of poverty.
Sampling of thank you notes:
If there was any doubt that we have hunger in 45225, it is surely dispelled by these notes:
- "Thank you for giving this food for my mom and by brother and me."
- "I especially enjoyed the cereal. I share the cereal with my granny and she love cereal."
- "Thank you for the food and the applesauce and the apple for my family."
- "Thank you for the food for me and my Aunt."
Most notes mention sharing food with others. We will build more food into the summer sacks.
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Childhood Food Solutions is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, 2573 Saint Leo Place, Cincinnait, Ohio 45225