Nourishing Our Future

Growing up, I was always curious as to why I didn’t have to bring lunch money for my school lunches. In Kindergarten, after the teacher took attendance, she’d collect lunch money for the day in a tin can, which would be sent to the office and that student would have paid their dues for their lunch that day. Almost all the kids put money in the can and I wanted to too. I once put money in and the teacher gave it back to me, she said I didn’t need to...yet I wanted to (because I wanted to fit in and be like the other kids).

I didn’t know at the time, but I was enrolled in a federal program where a student receives free (or reduced) lunch and breakfast at school because of their household income. I lived with my grandparents, who were farm workers and made around $1.25 per box of strawberries that they picked and we did not have much disposable income.

It wasn’t until years later that I was going to get lunch and the lady at the counter said I needed to pay that day. I was so surprised! It later made sense, my mother had recently gotten married and my new dad’s income was great enough for me to afford my own lunch. I didn’t think much about it then, but I am grateful to have had the assistance to eat and not only feed my tummy, but my mind as well.

One of my favorite breakfasts to date. Peruvian Breakfast in Cusco, Peru, 2014.

Recently, I’ve been hearing about many school children who depend on these meals because it’s the only food they get all day. My little sister tells me about some kids in her class that are homeless or living in bad situations who go to school because it’s the only place where they will eat. Even as an adult, if I don’t eat a full and balanced meal, I feel cranky and slow. Imagine these kids feeling hunger, they won’t be able to focus on school and learning if their stomachs are aching!

According to Feeding America, 15.3 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2014 alone. These kids are the future of our country, of our world. I refuse to keep looking in the opposite direction and I am teaming up with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank to volunteer and donate food items periodically as well. I’d like to invite my friends to donate anything they can as well. It doesn’t have to be money, it can be canned goods or any contribution at  www.feedingamerica.org.

Also, I’m planning a sack lunch giveaway to the homeless in SF in a few weeks, so please feel free if you’d like to help me make the lunches and/or pass them out! Thank you so much my friends! You always spoil me with your kindness, now let’s spoil the world!