Car keys. Backpack. Purse. Kid – lunch money!
Everyday life is still chaotic, but the hustle is so different these days. I used to worry about having enough food at home, or cash in my pocket for my energetic kiddo.
Just years ago, I was living on just my income and going to college. As a single mom, this meant our constant backseat companion was a box of food from a food bank. The box usually occupied the same space as remnants of an after school snack, which thankfully, we were able to get at my son’s school at no cost. Most times.
Many are the things a mom worries about on a daily basis. I’m no exception! Is he happy at school? Is he healthy? Is he getting enough sleep? Are his peers nice? Am I a good mom? It’s unrelenting. Food was my biggest worry when he was younger. Hungry kids will not let you forget your duty to feed them – morning, noon, and night.
My son’s school providing breakfast, lunch, and a snack meant one less thing to worry about every day.
Meals at school meant I didn’t have to worry about him going hungry and getting a stomach ache, or getting made fun of because he didn’t have food to eat, or falling asleep because he didn’t have the energy to learn. Thankfully, I had that one thing covered.
So today, I am just grateful. I’m grateful when I hand my kid lunch money, or on the rare occasion when he lets me pack him a special lunch. He’s a tween now, so it’s a whole different hustle! And I think about how hugely important those school meals were for us at the time we needed them most.
Breakfast is important, especially for kids. It’s essential. My son turns into a sweet-faced gremlin when he’s hangry. How can anyone expect kids to get through hours of instruction with a rumbly belly? No kid should go to recess, go to math class, or go to bed hungry.
Thankfully, in Arizona, many parents and their kids now have access to free meals because the “reduced-price” category was eliminated for the quickly approaching school year. That means if you fall under the “reduced price” category when you apply for free OR reduced price meals, your child’s school meals are now free. That’s right – completely free! You can learn more about this major state investment here.
As someone who relied on these meals to make ends meet, I have one thing to ask you.
Now that we are getting close to the back-to-school season, help us spread the word. Tell a parent, friend, or neighbor with kids that all they have to do is submit an application at the school. Not every school is part of this program, but it’s worth a call to find out. It could be the difference between a full tummy or struggling to find enough for a child to eat.
It is really that simple – one less thing to worry about.
I’m now “food secure” and I even work for an organization that is helping people – people that need help like I used to. While I think back on those “food box in the back” days and long to have a little kid again, I don’t miss the uncertainty that went with that time in my life, and I want to make sure others have the help they need, too.
Want to learn more about free school meals and how AzFBN supports school meal programs across the state? Check out our completely bilingual website azfoodbanks.org/healthy-school-meals.
Want to get in touch or share your story of how much free school lunch means to you? You can reach out anytime at [email protected]
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