FROM STAFF REPORTS
A group of parents is spearheading an effort to raise money to help Iredell-Statesville Schools students who cannot afford to pay for breakfast and lunch on school days.
The group has launched “A Clean Slate for a Full Plate,” a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for I-SS schools, which otherwise would have to cover the cost of the meals from their operating budgets.
The I-SS Board of Education has a policy that guarantees students are fed regardless of their ability to pay. During the first four months of the school year, students across the district racked up a $30,104 tab for school meals.
Jean Foster outlined the group’s effort to help I-SS cover this expense during the board’s meeting earlier this week.
“Basic human dignity mandates that we find a way to make sure students are fed and that the stress of how they pay for that isn’t a burden they carry into their school days,” she said.
And school administrators, Foster explained, shouldn’t have to worry either.
“Teacher shortages, testing results, LETRS, school safety, behavior issues, celebrating wins, transportation, lesson plans … the duties of our school staff already seem infinite,” she said. “They already have a full plate. They don’t need a $30K debt to worry about.”
Foster and the other organizers have worked with the I-SS Child Nutrition Department staff to raise money through Angel Link, a crowdfunding website.
The group set a goal of $30,105. As of Saturday, almost $900 had been donated. If donations exceed the goal, surplus funds would be used for future debt.
Foster asked I-SS board members, staff and others who attended the meeting to get behind the effort.
“We need your support for these efforts and for you to spread the word. Talk to your family and friends, your churches, your businesses, local community leaders. Talk to everyone and ask them to contribute and to spread the word,” she said.
Want to Help?
Click HERE to make a secure donation through Angel Link.
Parents or guardians should take care of children’s needs regardless of whether they are at school or at home. A true parent would make sure their child was fed no matter the cost. If not, then the child should be removed from the guardians and put in a house or government-sponsored organization that will see to the children’s needs. Any parent or guardian that doesn’t make sure their child’s needs are met before all else should not be taking care of a child in the first place. If they’re mentally unsound get help; if they are mentally fit, there are many organizations and churches that will help them with supplies or a job if they truly want it. Anyone who is sane and wants to succeed in this country has every opportunity and so many sources of assistance. No excuses. If you fail, it’s because you’re not right in the head or you’re lazy. It’s rare in the extreme that someone wants to succeed and has the will to do whatever it takes and still fails.
This comes from a place of entitlement and harsh judgment. As if there aren’t enough kids in foster care.
Many do not understand the ins and outs of child nutrition policies. I applaud Jean Foster’s drive for doing what is right for kids! We readily pull into a drive-thru to get our $5 beverage, so why not redirect those funds to keep kids fed? That one drink is more than the cost of one school meal. Hungry children cannot learn.
Awesome idea! I am in!
Obviously Josh has no kids. And he’s never struggled in life. Possibly a silver spoon fed kid at one time or another.
Parents are responsible for their children through age 18. Sadly though, many are not. Some are drug addicts, or deficient in some way or other that they don’t meet the needs of their children. In any parameter you can measure there is a bell curve distribution. That means 50% are above that mean and another 50% are below that mean. What we need here are ways to help the bottom 20% who need it for whatever reason. Our massive amount of social spending is supposed to be doing this. We provide welfare, Medicaid, and other programs costing Americans billions of tax dollars, but it seems these programs are run very inefficiently, with no accountability, which is the norm for government programs.
At the end of the day, we shouldn’t penalize the innocent children for situations beyond their control. If a kid is going hungry, then social services needs to investigate why. But it is telling that food banks set up around our county are often depleted. We live in one of the most advanced nations on earth. Yet a good percentage of households are food insecure.
Kudos to those attempting this crowdfunding idea. But more needs to be done to ensure the parents of these children are not in essence stealing from others what they should be providing to their offspring.
Josh: If you are so inclined, please pick up a Bible and read Matthew 25:31-46. If you do not have a Bible, go to any church or a library for assistance. Heck, leave your address and I will send you one. If you don’t understand, any Minister or true Christian can be explain it to you; however, they cannot understand it for you. Prayer will help you there. I applaud Mrs. Foster for seeking solutions to a problem and not practicing the self-righteous entitled attitude you have expressed. I think Mrs. Foster must have read every verse of Matthew 25.