One of every three Colorado schoolchildren now qualify for the government’s free or reduced-priced lunch program. In Denver, nearly two out of three qualify.
Many families can’t afford even the 40 cents a day needed to pay for that reduced lunch.
Unlike reading scores or math scores, those aren’t the statistics we like to see on the rise.
As Barbara O’Brien of the Colorado Children’s Campaign points out, it’s not just about food. Too often, these same students also lack proper medical care, and have smaller vocabularies and lack the communication skills to engage fully with other students and teachers.
“These are kids who need a lot of attention,” she said.
To qualify for a reduced-priced lunch, a student must come from a family whose income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guideline. That means a family of four earning $34,873 a year would qualify.
In 2003, 30.7 percent of Colorado students received free or reduced-price lunches. That number jumped to 32.1 percent in 2004, according to the Colorado Department of Education.
For families just above the guideline, making ends meet is no easier, yet they get little or no government assistance.
Frank Sargent, a retired doctor, launched the Food for Learning program in January 2004 to help struggling families. He raised $5,000 for families in 39 schools.
Thankfully, as the need rises, so does Sargent’s ambition. His goal is to raise $50,000 to help students in 500 of Colorado’s 1,700 public schools. So far, he’s at $37,000. (Checks made out to Inter-Faith Community Services can be sent to 3370 S. Irving St., Englewood, 80110.)
Colorado, even after the economic downturn, is a wealthy state, O’Brien says. “If more people understood how 30 percent of our students are living, we’d find more of a way to put a safety net underneath them.” Sargent and his efforts are one part of the safety net. Voters can help expand the net this fall by approving Referendum C, which will allow government to keep more of the money it collects. While not earmarked for kids, the state can’t spend money it doesn’t have.
If our students are worrying about their next meal, or enduring the pain of an ear infection without antibiotics, how can they concentrate on their lessons?
