1. I've had my own personal experiences with the school lunch program even though Mikey has just started kindergarten. In the last neighborhood that we lived in the local elementary school offered free lunch to anyone under 18. This is awesome for families that can't afford to fee their kids. Money was really tight for us and yes there were many times when I chose to feed my family rather than pay a bill but when I could take them to the school and feed them and save a little money on our food budget I did it. There were other people who used the program that I'm pretty sure didn't need it. I've tried to do everything I can to make sure I don't need government assistance and that includes using coupons and lots of them. I get things like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, cleaning supplies and TP all for $1 or less so I have more money to spend on healthy foods. I know a woman who had a moral objection to using coupons,she felt like she needed to pay a fair price, but had absolutely no problem taking her kids for free lunch. I hope I don't come across as judgmental here but if you feel you need to pay a fair price for your groceries why is the government paying for your kids lunch? Maybe somebody out there can help me understand.
2. One of the commenters said something about it being better that the kids eat the food rather than it going in the trash and being wasted. So I asked, "What's more wasteful eating food you don't need, or throwing it away?" I also mentioned that very little gets wasted because they usually have a day where they serve leftovers.
I understand the principle of what you're saying. I also understand that regardless, the untaken food will end up in the trash bin. Whether your children 'need' the extra nutrition or extra food or not...it's better in their bellies than in the waste pile.
3. I appreciate the programs that are out there to make sure kids are fed, I just wish it didn't have to be the Federal Government doing it. Why can't we as a people just see a need and just do something about it instead of begging the government to fix the problem for us? Am I a hypocrite for saying this since I've used the programs? I used the school lunch program before I knew how to use coupons and since then I haven't used it and I do what I can to help teach people what I know about using coupons and how it can help your family. But if that school lunch program weren't there my kids still would not have gone hungry. I have extended family that are always willing to help where it's needed and our church has a beautiful program for helping families in need and finding a place for those families to serve in exchange for the assistance they've been given. I feel that if the government would just step back the communities would find a way to meet the needs, but will we ever know?
I think you're wrong and this is why. We live in Utah, where we have a lot more advantages than most. There are members of the church who are always willing to help. There are church services which can provide food and clothing and other things if needed. In every neighborhood here it seems as if we have people from every station in life; however, this is not how most of the country is. Neighborhoods are separated by financial status. She said in her post that the community in which she lives needs this more than she even realizes. Not everyone has the same opportunities that we have, so unless people are planning on sending money or food into the homes of those living in these types of communities these programs are going to be around. Obviously there was a need that needed to be filled and therefor this program came about. No I don't think kids who have already eaten breakfast should take advantage of it, but I don't think there's anything wrong with kids whose parents don't have the same resources as we do to use this resource. Yes, be a good neighbor, but until people really start to step up and help the people around them these programs are necessary.
ReplyDeleteyou are right. I didn't say that people who need it shouldn't use it. I was just saying that I've seen people who probably don't need it take advantage of it. I'm grateful the programs are there, I just wish that there could be someway to not be dependent on the government for it.
ReplyDelete@Jessica Also I understand that Utah is a very different place than most of the rest of the country, but I think that basic human decency is the same no matter where you go or what church you belong to. Isn't this one of the point that the brethren have been trying to tell us for years? It's part of our divine nature as children of God to want to help those that we see in need. Many people have different ways of helping. Some people feel that paying the government to take care of the problem is how they can help. I wonder if these people are just afraid to get their hands dirty. I have more thoughts on the subject but I can't seem to get them out of my head coherently at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're wrong about that at all. I think if people could help they would, but often those in need are not surrounded by those who can help. I'm speaking from a geographic standpoint. Most churches outside of our own operate on a local plane, so if the members need financial help they may not be able to get it from their church or their neighbors since they often live under the same circumstances. If you take the worst case scenario, which I'm imagining is some place like the projects or where Andrew served his mission in McAllen, TX where no one has money, they live there because it's the only place they can afford, those are the kinds of places I'm talking about. Especially during today's economic situation where people don't have jobs and can't support their families or are barely getting by. People who don't have family or neighbors who can help. Obviously we want to be and want everyone else to be self reliant, but we've all been in circumstances where we can't rely on those two means anymore. We have an amazing church that recognizes that stuff happens. We pay tithe and fast offerings that help take care of the needs of it's members when they don't have friends and family to fall back on. I honestly think that these government systems are similar to that. I would absolutely love it if they operated like the church in this area where people donated time to run these things and all the money went straight to those in need. I think that would be beautiful. And if they could do an even percentage of tax revenue towards it so we know exactly where that money is going when we pay it that would be amazing too.
ReplyDelete