MANY ARE FACING MORE THAN JUST HOMEWORK. THEY’RE BATTLING HUNGER, FOOD INSECURITY IS AN ISSUE IN ANDERSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE, WITH A NUMBER PAINTING A CLEAR PICTURE. OUR AMAYA PEYTON LOOKS INTO HOW FREE AND REDUCED MEALS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR MANY STUDENTS. MAYA. YEAH, NIGEL CARROLL HERE AT FLAT ROCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I’M TOLD THAT WHEN SOME STUDENTS ARRIVE HERE IN THE MORNING, THEIR FIRST CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT ABOUT HOMEWORK, NOT TALKING TO THEIR FRIENDS. THEY’RE GOING UP TO TEACHERS AND STAFF, AND THEY’RE SAYING THESE WORDS, I’M HUNGRY. YOU KNOW, TEACHERS TELL ME THAT SOMETIMES THEY’RE EVEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE WENT DURING THE WEEKEND WITHOUT EATING, AND THEN ARRIVE ON MONDAY MORNING TO SCHOOL HUNGRY. IN ANDERSON COUNTY, SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE, THE POVERTY INDEX SITS AT 74%, SAYS SUPERINTENDENT KATHY HIT, A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN COME TO SCHOOL HUNGRY. THEY GET TWO GOOD MEALS HERE, AND IF THEY DON’T GET THE MEALS HERE IN MANY CASES THEY DON’T EAT. AND IF WE LOOK ONLY AT FLAT ROCK ELEMENTARY, THE POVERTY INDEX IS AT 89%. THAT’S A JUMP OF 7%. JUST THIS PAST YEAR, SAYS PRINCIPAL KRISTI DAHL. WE HAVE NONTRADITIONAL FAMILIES. WE HAVE GRANDPARENTS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE RAISING CHILDREN. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATE IN FOSTER CARE. SO SOMETIMES FAMILY SIZE CAN GET A LITTLE LARGE. THE STRUGGLE TO FEED CHILDREN IS VERY REAL. TIFFANY OBER, A MOM OF FOUR, KNOWS JUST HOW TOUGH IT IS. THE PRICE OF THINGS THESE DAYS AND BASICALLY EVERYTHING. AND THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS. IT HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO RECEIVE FREE LUNCH. UM, AND I KNOW IT IS FOR OTHER FAMILIES. PRINCIPAL DODD SAYS THE SCHOOL IS A SAFE PLACE WHERE KIDS AREN’T AFRAID TO SPEAK UP WHEN THEY’RE HUNGRY FOR YEARS, TEACHERS KEPT GRANOLA BARS, PACKS OF PEANUTS, CINNAMON ROLLS, LITTLE DEBBIES, ANYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF IN DESK DRAWERS TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THAT. THAT NEED, ESPECIALLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING OR LATE AFTERNOON. AND NOW WE DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT. THE DISTRICT IS NOW IN ITS SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF OFFERING FREE MEALS TO ALL STUDENTS. NOW MY YOU MENTIONED ADMINISTRATORS CAN TELL ON MONDAY MORNINGS WHEN STUDENTS HAVE NOT EATEN OVER THE WEEKEND, IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE TO HELP? YOU KNOW, NIGEL, ACTUALLY, YES. YOU KNOW, THE UNITED WAY PROVIDES FREE MEALS TO ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS ANDERSON COUNTY. NOW, THEY ALSO TELL ME, WHILE THIS FOCUS IS ON THIS REPORT, FOCUSES ON DISTRICT THREE, THEY TELL ME THAT 1 IN 6 CHILDREN IN ANDERSON COUNTY WILL GO TO BED HUNGRY. THEY ALSO TELL ME THAT THIS PROGRAM, WHERE THEY FEED CHILDREN OVER THE WEEKEND, THEY HAVE 750 STUDENTS ENROL
Anderson County school leaders discuss food insecurity among families
Updated: 7:43 PM EDT Aug 1, 2024
As students return to school many are facing more than just homework, they are battling hunger. Food insecurity is an issue in Anderson County School District 3, with numbers painting a clear picture. In Anderson County School District 3, the poverty index sits at 74%, according to the district’s Superintendent Kathy Hipp. “A lot of our children come to school hungry. They count on getting two good meals here. Without these meals, many simply don’t eat,” Hipp said. Taking a closer look at Flat Rock Elementary, the poverty index is at 89%, a jump of 7% just this past year, according to Flat Rock Elementary Principal Christy Dodd. “We see a lot of non-traditional families: grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others raising kids. Plus, many families are part of the foster care system, which can make family sizes quite large,” Dodd said. The struggle to feed children is very real. Tiffany O’Barr, a mom of four, knows just how tough it is.”With prices so high and the economy the way it is, free lunch has been a godsend for us. And I know it’s the same for other families,” O’Barr said. Dodd calls the school a safe place where kids are not afraid to speak up when they are hungry.”For years, teachers kept granola bars, packs of peanuts, cinnamon rolls, Little Debbie’s — anything they could think of — in their desks to help kids,” Dodd said. “Especially first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. Now, we don’t have to do that.”The district is now in its second consecutive year of offering free meals to all students. The United Way offers and provides weekend meals to all elementary school students in Anderson County. While this report focuses on Anderson County District 3, the United Way says that 1 in 6 children will go to bed hungry in Anderson County. According to the organization, 750 students currently receive weekend meals across the county.
As students return to school many are facing more than just homework, they are battling hunger. Food insecurity is an issue in Anderson County School District 3, with numbers painting a clear picture.
In Anderson County School District 3, the poverty index sits at 74%, according to the district’s Superintendent Kathy Hipp.
“A lot of our children come to school hungry. They count on getting two good meals here. Without these meals, many simply don’t eat,” Hipp said.
Taking a closer look at Flat Rock Elementary, the poverty index is at 89%, a jump of 7% just this past year, according to Flat Rock Elementary Principal Christy Dodd.
“We see a lot of non-traditional families: grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others raising kids. Plus, many families are part of the foster care system, which can make family sizes quite large,” Dodd said.
The struggle to feed children is very real. Tiffany O’Barr, a mom of four, knows just how tough it is.
“With prices so high and the economy the way it is, free lunch has been a godsend for us. And I know it’s the same for other families,” O’Barr said.
Dodd calls the school a safe place where kids are not afraid to speak up when they are hungry.
“For years, teachers kept granola bars, packs of peanuts, cinnamon rolls, Little Debbie’s — anything they could think of — in their desks to help kids,” Dodd said. “Especially first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. Now, we don’t have to do that.”
The district is now in its second consecutive year of offering free meals to all students. The United Way offers and provides weekend meals to all elementary school students in Anderson County.
While this report focuses on Anderson County District 3, the United Way says that 1 in 6 children will go to bed hungry in Anderson County. According to the organization, 750 students currently receive weekend meals across the county.
This article was originally published by a www.wyff4.com . Read the Original article here. .