Feed the Gap, in partnership with school districts, is working to eliminate child hunger in their schools by feeding hungry children. These children do not qualify, or have not yet applied for free or reduced price breakfast and lunch meals through the USDA Child Nutrition Programs. Yet these children are hungry. Generally these children belong to the growing numbers of “The Working Poor” in America. Idaho has one of the largest percentages of people making minimum wage in the United States.** The parents are working but there is not enough money to meet the most basic of needs–food.
These children in need, who are quietly identified by the Principals, Counselors and Teachers, are provided free breakfast and lunch from Feed the Gap. Districts tracks the number of meals and then invoices our organization for the costs. Counselors and Principals follow-up with parents of recurring “subsidized- meal- children” to offer alternatives and support for these “working poor” families that are under-served or don’t qualify for free federal meal programs.
Feed the Gap believes that every child can and should be fed breakfast and lunch.
Child Hunger Facts
- More than 16 million children live in food insecure (low food and very low food security) households in the United States
- More than 92,000 children live in poverty, with 31,000 living in extreme poverty, which is 19% and 7.5% of Idaho’s population.
- 96,090 children in Idaho are food insecure*
- One-third of these children, 32,000, are income ineligible for federal nutrition assistance*
- That is 23% of Idaho’s children who are food insecure; up from 22.8% last year*
- Ada County has the most food insecure children in Idaho with more than 18,200 children living in food-insecure homes.*
- 170,863 children in Idaho participate in the School Lunch Program and 94,000 children in Idaho receive food stamps
- Minimum wage in Idaho $7.25 USD per hour**
*Feeding America
Proper nutrition is essential to the growth and development of children. Not only are these children not receiving enough food to develop healthy bodies and brains, but they return to school Monday morning ill from lack of food over the weekend. Research indicates that hungry children do more poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they are not well prepared for school and cannot concentrate.