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bananas, apples, mangoes, whatever is
in season—so they can gain strength
and also pass the nutrients onto their
babies through their breast milk.
The KMC treatment is now a
centerpiece of the Indian government’s
National Nutrition Mission.
The government’s strategy is aimed
at the all important 1,000 days, from
the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy
to her child’s second birthday. This
timeframe is critical to a child’s health
and future well-being. Malnutrition
before the second birthday can cause
irreversible damage to rapidly growing
bodies and minds.
Summertime hungriest
for U.S. children
Photo courtesy of Delta Hands for Hope
As Gita and her daughter gained
strength by eating nutritious food,
another mother across the globe in
rural Shaw, Mississippi, Kendra
Whitehead, dropped off her four
daughters at Delta Hands for Hope
summer camp—making certain they
would receive nutritious food, too.
The nonprofit, housed in a
storefront across from a scenic park,
is a summer meals site for children
facing hunger.
In Shaw, roughly 80 percent of the
city’s children live below the poverty
line. “With them providing breakfast
and lunch, that was a big help for my
family,” Kendra said. “I felt secure
knowing they had food.”
In 2019, 65 children ranging in age
from 3 to 19 were served, including
Kendra’s daughters: Kimyah, 11; Imani, are given debit cards, which they can
9; J’Lori, 7; and Keanna, 5. Aside from
use at retail stores.
A handful of states piloted the program
breakfast, the children also ate lunch—
several years ago. Over time, the number
ranging from hot dogs and chips to
of states and children served increased.
spaghetti with green beans and corn.
Summer is the hungriest time of the The program has proven effective and
year for children living in food-insecure should be implemented nationwide.
Kendra, a paralegal, whose husband,
households because they do not have
Jawara, is an electrician, is forthright
access to school meals. Of the roughly
about her family’s economic situation.
22 million children who receive meals
“We are a low-income family,” she
during the school year, only about 3.7
million benefit from summer nutrition said. “Sometimes it’s really hard to get
programs—leaving millions of children resources like food.”
Shaw is a community with limited
without adequate nutrition.
Food insecurity affects children
access to affordable and nutritious
of all races and all
food, which makes
geographic locations.
putting food on the
But summer meal
table even harder for
In the U.S., 1 in 7
sites are particularly
the Whitehead famchildren live in
scarce in areas of
ily. “The nearest grofood-insecure homes.
concentrated poverty.
cery store is 15 miles
Due to centuries
away. We don’t have
of inequitable public policies in our
a car right now, so I have to borrow my
nation’s history, communities of color
mother’s car just to get access to fresh
reside in these areas at significantly
fruits and vegetables,” she said.
higher rates. One in 2 Indigenous, 1
In the U.S., 1 in 7 children live in
in 4 African Americans, and 1 in 6
food-insecure homes. Even the relaHispanics live and go to school in areas tively moderate malnutrition that is
of concentrated poverty, compared to 1 widespread in our country affects the
in 13 whites.
development of children’s bodies and
Food programs—such as summer
brains. Children who suffer food insemeals and the Summer Electronic Ben- curity have more headaches, stomachefits Transfer (EBT) program—reduce
aches, anemia, ear infections, asthma,
food insecurity for children of all races. and colds than children from equally
The summer EBT program is depoor families who never went hungry.
Children with consistently nutrisigned to ensure low-income families
tious
diets are physically and emotionwho cannot access a summer meals site
in their community have a way to pur- ally healthier, and they do better in
school and in life.
chase food for their children. Families
Our government is more divided
than ever. But access to good nutrition
for mothers and children should not
be a partisan issue. By investing in
domestic and international nutrition
programs, we can help children get off
to a good start and make the future
better for all of us.
The story of Gita is from “I Am Gita”
by Roger Thurow, in The End of Hunger,
edited by Jenny Eaton Dyer and Cathleen
Falsani. Copyright © 2019 by The Eleanor Crook Foundation. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. Kendra’s story
was written by Jennifer Gonzalez, Bread
for the World’s managing editor.
Additional resources for your 2020 Offering of Letters are available at bread.org/ol.