Pastor Jeff Newton tells a story that causes one pause. After Deanna Ancil heard it, it broke her heart.
On a Sunday evening in 2006, Trinity United Methodist Church hosted a dinner. Newton, a part-time pastor at Trinity and Cassville United Methodist, watched as a young boy ate four hot dogs.
You must be hungry, Newton said to the boy. The boy said he hadn’t eaten lunch.
Did you have breakfast, Newton asked? The boy said no.
Did you have dinner Saturday, Newton asked? The boy said no.
After more questions, Newton learned the boy hadn’t eaten all weekend. His last meal was lunch on Friday at school.
“I don’t believe anyone in Kokomo should be hungry,” Ancil told us Tuesday. “There is no reason for hunger in this community.”
Newton, executive director of Kokomo Urban Outreach, started a pilot program that provided bags of food for children on free and reduced lunches at Elwood Haynes Elementary School in May 2007. The bags containing enough food for six meals were delivered on a Friday to the school.
It was a success. Now, in its second full year, Urban Outreach’s “buddy bags” program delivers food for 310 Elwood Haynes students at the end of each week. One bag includes such items as oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, tuna, a can of beef stew and two cans of soup. And because each bag is identical, siblings’ food can be used to supplement meals for the whole family.
Not every child receiving a buddy bag would’ve gone without food every weekend. But most live with “food insecurity” – a limited availability of food. According to Urban Outreach, 11 percent of Kokomo households experienced food insecurity in Howard County in 2006. And 4 percent – 1,416 households – suffered chronic hunger three years ago.
With the U.S. in its 22nd month of recession – the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression – Ancil, president of Project E.A.T. (Everybody Ate Today), has seen more families and children suffer food insecurity.
Urban Outreach’s buddy bags program needs to be expanded to more schools. You can help. For just $11 per month, you can provide a weekend of food for a child.
Please get involved. No one in Kokomo should be hungry.
Opinion
Need for ‘buddy bags’ is great
- Opinion
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White shouldn’t return to office
The issue: The conviction of Indiana’s secretary of state.
Our view: Charlie White’s ouster from office should be permanent.
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Editorial - Feb. 8, 2012: Grand success for Indianapolis
The issue: The Super Bowl.
Our view: Indianapolis left a great impression on thousands of visitors.
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Letters to the Editor: Feb. 8, 2012
As Hoosiers celebrate the conclusion of a truly remarkable Super Bowl experience, there is even more good news that should fill us with pride. More Indiana students are graduating from high school than ever before.
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Which religions will we include?
The Indiana Senate last week approved a bill that would allow public schools to teach creationism, as long as they include theories from multiple religions.
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If you say so
In an opinion piece we published Thursday, state Rep. Mike Karickhoff announced why he voted against “right-to-work” legislation. His reason: The community told him to.
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Cheers and jeers - Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012
Karickhoff acted ‘cowardly’
The Rev. Robin Wentworth Mayer and Horst G. Mayer of Kokomo send the Jeer for state Rep. Mike Karickhoff’s silence during the “right-to-work” debate:
“Mr. Karickhoff, for someone who’s new to office, you’ve certainly learned the art of talking out of both sides of your mouth.
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Let’s drug test our lawmakers
Perhaps it’s appropriate that a measure passed by the Indiana House this week would ask not only welfare recipients but Indiana lawmakers to consent to a drug test.
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Editorial - Feb. 2, 2012: Peru delivers a message
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Our view: Aggressive enforcement can help a city’s finances, but the benefits go beyond dollars and cents.
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Karickhoff: Reason behind my ‘right-to-work’ vote
There is no doubt the “right-to-work” debate has brought mixed emotions, not only to our state but District 30 as well. There were only a handful of House Republicans who did not vote in support of this legislation. Let me explain why I felt it was necessary for me to vote in opposition to right to work.
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Heinig: ‘Right-to-work’ law to arouse continued resistance
I wouldn’t call Gov. Mitch Daniels a charismatic leader, but he does possess some leadership skills. If he didn’t, he couldn’t have brought us this far along the happy trail to his economic Valhalla.
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