Moser: With Billions of Dollars to Feed the Hungry, Who Benefits?

Opinion 

I recently had the opportunity to interview a very bright young woman, Julia Burks. She is a freshman at Battlefield High School and a Senior Girl Scout working on her Gold Award Project.

Burks had discovered something that many people are not aware of:  There are hungry children, even in the most affluent areas.

This interview heightened my awareness of something that had only been on my radar peripherally: Hunger in America. Julia’s idea, as you’ll learn from the interview, was to solicit help, organize and distribute lunches to students who were recipients of free breakfast and lunch during the school year, but had no options during summer vacation.

This concept is exactly the type of project I think works best: A problem is recognized, solutions identified and action taken at the local level.

I understand when a problem is larger than can be handled by a small group, additional resources must be identified and drawn into the pool. When I read a recent Washington Post article about a bus to deliver food to rural Tennessee, I learned the Department of Agriculture had allocated $400 million to feed children during the summer.

That money pales in comparison to the $15 billion Congress has allocated each year to feed 21 million low-income children in their schools, and that doesn’t count the $80 milli0n on SNAP. Those numbers were so staggering, I didn’t go on to find how much more we spend on other entitlement programs, like housing assistance and medical care.

So, I find myself seriously conflicted about this issue. In fact, I am often conflicted about many issues. That does not mean I am wishy-washy, it means I don’t just opine, but I try to see all sides of a problem.

Ultimately, my opinion revolves around the thought process to determine what makes the most sense to me. So my decisions are not based on what political party I favor, what church I attend, or what I am spoon fed by the media.

On the one hand, I absolutely agree, no child should go hungry in a nation as wealthy as ours. On the other hand is the solid belief that America simply cannot continue to amass debt. One of the best graphic sites I frequent is the US National Debt Clock. Watching those numbers rack up stirs a fright more powerful than a Stephen King novel.

The sequester has been all about reducing expenses. I understand that and as a good U.S. citizen, I am willing to sacrifice for my country, but as we approach the 6-month mark of unemployment, I am wondering what benefit has been achieved.

More and more money is required to feed and house the poor in America. We’ve always been a contributor to that process.

Now, we are not. I don’t think we are destined to wind up as recipients of those entitlement programs, but I certainly never thought we’d remain unemployed for six months either.

“To help people at all times” is part of the Girl Scout promise. It’s always been our promise too.

Connie Moser lives in Dale City, is the president of the Neabsco Action Alliance, and is active in several community organizations in Prince William County.