Cela’s Story
May 2023
Teachers Witness Hunger First-Hand
The biggest safety net for kids living with food insecurity is the National School Lunch Program. More than 200,000 students living in low-income households in the San Antonio area rely on school meal programs for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch. Our challenge this summer: filling the summer meal gap to secure a nourished and healthy summer for kids and families.
Ms. Hernandez had always dreamed of becoming a teacher. She wanted to make a difference in the lives of children, especially those who were struggling. When she was offered a teaching job she jumped at the chance.
However, as her students walked into her class in the mornings, she noticed that many of them looked tired, while others seemed listless or uninterested in beginning their classwork. She did some digging and learned that almost all of her students were food insecure. She was heartbroken to see her bright and talented students struggling to focus on their work because of hunger.
Determined to make a difference, Ms. Hernandez rallied parents of students who could help to take action and bring daily snacks. Between receiving free breakfast and lunch along with daily snacks, she saw a noticeable difference in her student’s performance and demeanors. With her students no longer focusing on their hunger, they were now more alert and engaged in their classwork.
With summer approaching Ms. Hernandez worries how some of her students are going to get access to the food they’re able to get at school. “Having a full stomach each day is a blessing for my students,” she said and the challenge this summer will be to ensure that no child goes hungry.
The San Antonio Food Bank is gearing up to meet this challenge through our Summer Meals for Kids campaign to raise food and funds to close the 20,000,000 meal gap for kids this summer. With your help we will provide no-cost, nutritious meals to kids across the region this summer. Our goal: no summer hunger for kids across Southwest Texas in 2023.
Please help get food to kids and their families – so they can eat great and play great this summer.
