No Kid Hungry

From the article – “The Consequences of Hunger”, “Hunger doesn’t just affect kids. Over the long term, as students struggle with hunger in classrooms across the country, it affects us all”.

Childhood Hunger is a Serious Problem.  Every day, teachers, principals and staff in schools across the country see students who can’t succeed because of hunger.

Hunger Affects Academic Performance.  Educators who regularly see children come to school hungry describe a host of problems:
– Inability to concentrate – 88%
– Lack of energy or motivation – 87%
– Poor academic performance – 84%
– Tiredness – 82%
– Behavioral problems –  65%
– Students feeling sick – 53%

Do you think the above is not an issue when it comes to Snohomish County?  Many of our children are living in poverty; More than 10% of Snohomish County’s population (76,159 people) lives at or below the Federal Poverty Level, which is only $23,850 a year or $1,987 a month for a family of four. Hunger is on the rise; In 2014, 88,400 (12%) Snohomish County residents experienced food insecurity. Our children need help getting food; Nearly 44,000 (43%) of K-12 students in Snohomish County are enrolled in Free/Reduced Lunch Program. For many, lunch is their only nutritious and reliable meal of the day.