Coronavirus may be less severe for most children, but the virus doesn’t just impact them if they get it. Nationwide, children are going without enough food due to school closings.
The problem is serious and widespread. For example, in Poughkeepsie, NY, in 2011-12, 90% of students qualified for reduced or no cost lunches. And, studies have indicated that this food is their primary food *for the day.* Through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, children have also been provided with a backpack of food for the weekend, as studies indicated that some were not eating – or eating very little – between Friday afternoon and Monday. In Philadelphia, over 75,000 children experience food insecurity.
Some communities – including Poughkeepsie and Philadelphia – have been able to work up a plan to continue their food programs, but not all of them. And, due to economic impacts of this pandemic, more families will need support than ever.
*If* you can, donate to your community programs that fight food insecurity, or go to http://nokidhungry.org and help feed children in communities that don’t have adequate resources to serve children.
In Philadelphia, one local program that is accepting donations to fight food insecurity is https://www.philabundance.org
For Camden Counter, Gloucester County, etc. in NJ, you could donate to https://foodbanksj.org
In New Paltz, donations at https://foodbankofhudsonvalley.org feed hungry children in the region
In NYC, go to https://www.foodbanknyc.org/
And, again, a national site is http://nokidhungry.org