When Breaks and Benefits Don't Allign
Spring break is upon us, which means kids and teens will be home from school. Unfortunately, this break can cause hardships for families struggling with food insecurity. School meals provide a constant and reliable source of nutrition for children, but breaks can disrupt this routine and leave families struggling to bridge the gap. Our mission at the Ben Curtis Family Foundation is to help families bridge this gap with our Birdie Bags during the school year and summer, as well as over winter break with A Very Merry Dinner.
For families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, school breaks can cause the distribution of benefits to become misaligned. For many schools this year, spring break occurs during the last week of March, which can become problematic due to most benefits replenishing the first week of the month. SNAP covers select necessary food items such as fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy products, and snack foods; unfortunately, the gap in benefit coverage can cause food to fall short in the household during school breaks. The lack of nutrition and food security can negatively impact a child at home and school.
Impact of Food Insecurity on Children—Home and School
While food insecurity can impact the overall physical health of a child, it also affects their mental health and academic performance. Fatigue, hunger, and anxiety stemming from food insecurity can negatively affect education and school life, including grades, friendships, and academic confidence.
Difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and lack of energy can impair a student’s grades. A lack of nutrients can lead to lower test scores, difficulty reading and comprehending material, and behavioral issues—creating challenges for the child, including lower academic performance, confidence issues, and struggles with building peer relationships.
Food insecurity doesn’t just affect individuals: it can reshape the family dynamic, often placing pressure on older siblings. When an older sibling shoulders the responsibility of
ensuring their younger counterparts are cared for, the weight of this role can cause feelings of isolation, sadness, and a sense of disconnect from their peers who may not understand what they are facing.
Financial and Logistical Challenges
According to the School Nutrition Association (as of 2024), approximately 29.6 million students are served school lunches daily, most of those meals being free lunches (20.4 million free lunches). School breakfast programs, free lunches, and reduced-price lunches provide over half the meals a child consumes when they are in school, providing relief for families facing food insecurity. While school breaks can cause a shortage of food in the home, some resources can help lighten the load. Food banks and local pantries, as well as many churches, offer free or discounted food for struggling families or individuals. Unfortunately, financial and logistical challenges such as gas prices, car repairs, or lack of transportation can make obtaining food from those locations difficult. Other factors, such as work schedules, weather, and childcare can contribute to the difficulties in obtaining food.
At the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, we are proud to be a resource that allows teachers and schools to assist their students and families in their time of need. BCFF strives to make the process as easy as possible for both students and schools. To donate to our cause, please use the link in this text!
For more information on how to get involved in our fight to end food insecurity, please visit: https://www.bencurtisfoundation.org/how-to-help/volunteer/
Become a Champion
Do you want to get involved in the fight against the childhood hunger in Northeast Ohio?
Get in touch with our team. We are always in need of volunteers, donors, sponsors and community partners to help us fulfill our mission of alleviating child hunger in our community.
