Backpack Buddies - Our Quest to Help End Childhood Hunger in Loudoun County

A few weeks ago, Ute Gil and I had the opportunity to represent St.Matthew's at the 2nd Annual Backpack Buddies Workshop, hosted by Galilee United Methodist Church.  There were over 60 attendees from across the county, representing backpack buddies programs, schools, companies and parents.  I also attended the same workshop one year ago, and was amazed at how the program has grown across the county.  I wanted to share some statistics that came out at this meeting.  Some are estimates based on the best information available.

• There are 82 public schools in Loudoun County, with ~69,279 students
• There are 8,942 students (or 12.91%) students eligible for free lunch
• There are 11,911 students (or 17.19%) students eligible for free or reduced lunch

Do these numbers look out of whack to anyone else?  17% of our students in Loudoun County are eligible for the  free and reduced lunch program in one of the richest counties in the country? This certainly is shocking to me.  Here is another shocking number.  Current estimates show that there are ~1,000 children in Loudoun County that are classified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act.  WOW!

So what happens to these kids over the weekend?  Honestly, we don't know.  Some go to home, where there may or may not be enough food for the weekend, some go to others' homes and some go to shelters. I hate to think about the other possibility..the street.  So what happens to these kids when they return to school on Monday.  Here are some facts from SHARE OUR STRENGH: No Kid Hungry:

• Children who struggle with hunger are sick more often, recover more slowly, and are more likely to be hospitlaized
• They are more likely to experience headaches, stomachaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue
• Lack of enough nutrious food impairs's a child's ability to concentrate and peform well in school
• Children who regularly do not get enough nutrious food to eat have significantly higher levels of behavioral, emotional and academic problems and can be more agressive and anxious
• Teens who regularly do not get enough to eat are more likely to be suspended from school and have difficulty getting along with other kids

These are strong consequences not only for the child that suffers from hunger, but for schools and the community. Currently about 60% of the LCPS have backpack buddies programs supported by local churches, businesses and individuals, covering about 23% of the need (~2,000 of the 8,942 students are in the program). There is so much more need out there.  Every few weeks we receive a request to support more students or additional schools.  

So what can we do? Simply stated, we need to get involved. If every able family in Loudoun County sponsored a child through backpack buddies ($25/month) or donated to a local food bank on a regular basis, these hunger issues would not persist. The problem with hunger is that it's ongoing..doesn't stop after the holidays, for weekends, etc. So our support and involvement needs to also be ongoing.