CPC: More Students Without Breakfast & Lunch
There has been increase in students “arriving at school without having had breakfast” and “what is more disturbing is the number of students that have been coming to school without lunch,” Sheelagh Cooper from the Coalition for the Protection of Children said.
Ms Cooper said, “The Coalition for the Protection of Children feeds breakfast every morning in 10 schools. We have seen an increase in the numbers of students arriving without having had breakfast and taking advantage of this program.
“But what is more disturbing is the number of students that have been coming to school without lunch. We have had reports from three schools recently that they have seen more students coming to the attention of the counselors because they have no lunch.
“One school recently reported yesterday that 13 children arrived without lunch. And of course those are the children that admitted having no lunch, because many are reluctant to let anyone know for fear of having their mothers reported to Child and Family Services.
“While we have encouraged those families to come to our food storehouse for luncheon food, we are not in any sort of position to extend our breakfast program into a lunch program.
“The last week of each month sees that largest number of students arriving without breakfast or lunch as many of the mothers of these children rely partially or wholly on financial assistance and when that runs out it runs out.”
“I don’t think its a budgeting issue as often the money allotted for food has to go to unexpected medical expenses [specialists such as pediatricians must be paid cash] or other essentials that are not included in the financial assistance allotment or are not within the scope of someones part time [and low] wages.”
Having children coming to school hunger and being hungry at school is unacceptable. we can do better Bermuda.
This raises the important conversation about Bermuda’s feeding programmes and how they serve all our residents- is it possible to coordinate these activities on island? It is important to ensure the food provided is nutritious and distributed in an economically sustainable way.
There appears to be a number of well intended initiatives working independently of each other and without clear data or information. the existing food distribution companies could teach us how to move food around our island to those in need.
Where is the Healthy School Initiative on this issue?
No work, no money,no food.
explain please? and if you are under any influence examples ” biased, drinking (liquor), smoking , no children, rich, and does not support charity…” please ignore..
But on de upside, we have America’s Cup.
For some yes…for others, nice car nice house, nice vacations are a priority….and for some even drugs and alcohol come first. I know this may upset some people but sad to say it is the truth. I’m not sayin they are bad people but rather they are bad people that have made bad decisions and need help.
Prioritizing is often an issue. The latest iPhone should NEVER come before food for your children. I get it, when has anyone ever lived without a smart phone but priorities must be realigned once in a while.
I lived without a smart phone for 5 years so my kids could eat well. I just got an iPhone again and though I do love my beautiful new device, those 5 fat-trimming years with a super-basic cell phone were worth it for our family.
“Wishing Well” when will you people stop with the middle class self righteous moralizing.
Maybe it is socio economic factors that are driving this?
Have you ever thought of that?
Onion Juice, I can believe I am entertaining a response to you because your opinions are always politically altered. But since you started the comments, bad gov policies or attitude = Less companies= less people = less jobs, less jobs =less money.
Then we get to the real question , where did the $800 million dollars go that was unaccounted for that is STILL missing during the PLPs 13+ years in power?
Onion Juice, would you have faith in a bank that lost $800 million of your money?
Would you be saying , give them another chance wit my money or think, once bitten, twice shy?.
No thanks Onion Juice, Obviously you are connected to the PLP so I understand you supporting them.. I just question the fights you pick to get involved in, which are always politically related.
lol, 800 mil dollars.
You say the same sh.t. all the time and get mad at the next guy who does the same? just from the other side
I am sure they will find the 800 mil, lol
Doesn’t matter because nothing will save the UBPoba.
The brainwashing wont hurt this time because we now know the UBPoba doesn’t care about Bermudians.
SpongeBob spent that much in 2 years and counting.
Yeah he took the debt from 800 million to almost 3 billion.
You want to ask the OBA where the 2.2 billion dollars went?
Didnt go into those 2000 jobs…
$800m is what was unaccounted for.
The debt was far higher (and climbing).
What a dumb response oj this shows your level of understanding.
At least with SpongeBob we know where is was spent!
just ask the OBA where the alleged 800 million went missing!! Im sure the Government of the day would have pounced on the opportunity to have the opposition prosecuted and sent to jail!! Years on and no one has been prosecuted?!?! YEAH RIGHT!!! Shut up with the supposedly missing $800mil….That kind of money cannot just disappear!!
Is it a fact that there isn’t food at home or is it “certain families” are taking advantage of the “program and lessening their responsibilities?
“The last week of each month sees that largest number of students arriving without breakfast or lunch as many of the mothers of these children rely partially or wholly on financial assistance and when that runs out it runs out.”
That should clear up whatever misunderstanind you have in regard to the situation
shut up. Cant said rich people questioning how poor poor people are .
when people, ALL people stand up for what is right we will be a better nation!
What we are tired of dealing with is people that have decided to make other things a priority BEFORE their children. Many of us know people that have nice cars and take vacations while at the same time they cry poverty! But we all say sssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! and pretested it is not happening. Am I lying? Take a drive by the homes of those living in government assisted housing and you might be shocked to see where there priorities are , and why people are less willing to help those that are really in need. When did we start to develop this notion that the government is a printing money machine that pays peoples bills?
Want to see what the future holds for usin Bermuda if we don’t ALL pitch in? Here is a BBC special featuring a Bermudian looking for a hand out that has contributed NADA to London and thinks she deserves it all as her “birthright”!
This is the world we live in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crBAfF1qAcw
I actually watched about 10 mins of this video. Very interesting indeed. “If you gave up housing in Bermuda, we cannot help you when you arrive here with no plan made ahead of time for your accommodation and source of income. ” In other words, if you aren’t homeless in Bermuda, don’t come to England thinking we hand out keys to flats and bags of groceries. In other words, don’t come here if you don’t have a place to stay and a job.
Common sense.
What is a fact is that it’s not the child’s fault and no child should be allowed to go hungry in a country like Bermuda (or UK, US).
Hell, why should any child in the world go hungry.
It’s throw away comments like yours and from other OBA championers that really annoy me. And it annoys me that 14 years of a labour government couldn’t establish some better social security for the vulnerable of this island.
Rant over.
Sad but true….This hasn’t just started to happen Ms. Cooper….it has been happening ALL school year….I can’t tell you the amount of lunches I have brought so far this school year or the amount of “extra” food/snacks that I have brought from home….
There are some Churches that provide lunches but even their budget is limited and the amount of students in need out number what they voluntarily provide.
Families are really struggling out there…
Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought that FA recipients have food cards with an allotted amount of credit that gets topped up monthly so they don’t have actual cash.
Maybe we should adapt tor become a partner to a similar program which was recently held in the U.S. Red Nose Day. As of this year they have raised over 31 million dollars worldwide to feed kids.
Food in Bermuda is insane, bag of oranges $7dollars, bag of frozen chicken from 12 to 16 dollars. Romaine lettuce in a bag $7dollars dollars. Apples bag ,can run a family 9 dollars,— we need to find a way to reduce the price of whole unprocessed foods, vegetables fruits, grains, and the processed foods , the ones that are killing the underprivileged and privileged we need to keep the prices the same.
The health of the island and our children (future) depend on it.
I still cannot fathom the supermarkets here. 4oz box of spinach $7.99. Get it from the salad bar at $9.79 per lb and 4oz costs $2.
Sorry $2.50
And we get to choose so what’s the problem?
The problem is that maybe we are paying inflated prices partially due to the inefficiencies of the supermarkets.
What many fail to realize is that most foods are imported and that includes shipping, dockworkers, trucking etc. Then at the grocery store there are employees which need to be paid also…Stop complaining about the cost of living i.e. foods etc.
Wrong. Cayman’s shipping costs are probably a lot more than Bermuda’s, considering the distance from the US, yet their cost of food is not as exaggerated as ours. There is NO reason for Bermuda’s food to be so expensive.
So…why did you leave this paradise we ALL have a privilege to live in?? It wouldn’t be the cost of living here would it?? Saving lots of money where you are?? If so direct your comments to the citizens of your province and see the reaction you get.
No one fails to realize that you self centered dbag.
We know that 90 percent of the food is imported. We know that it isnt affordable to eat healthy in Bermuda. For instance, my family spends over 1000 per month on groceries. Its me my wife and my son its inbelievebale that my grocerys are almost as expensive as my rent!! We eat healthy and try to buy from local farmers and fishermen when we can but the only way to eat affordably is to eat unhealthy processed foods.
This is why obesity is so high in bermuda, the poor eat less but they eat lower quality foods which are packed with sodium and other additives which are detrimental to their health. But people like you Mr Ray would say “eat what you can afford” which is literally costing poor people years off of their lives
Very true so I expect a increase, but speaking hypotheically when they have already been shipped to say Canada from Venezuela whats the argument then as to how apples can suddenly be 2.99 there but 9 here? It travels through just as many if not more ports or country lines than those same items traveling here, yet most items have a 300-1000% increase in price one they hit our shelve.? Thats greed not expenses brother.
The supermarket chains in Canada and the US can command a much lower price because they buy so much more volume and may even buy direct from the grower.
They also have the free trade agreement in place with many countries which may mean 0% import duty.
In addition labour and benefits in the US and Canada are far lower than in Bermuda. A worker at a Walmart in Florida gets paid far less than someone at Marketplace for example and may not have insurance, pension and so on.
Nonetheless, I do agree that even with all the extras, the prices we pay for many foods is way higher than in needs to be.
You’re absolutely right. My husband and I both work, and we make decent money. Even so, keeping our grocery bill under control with growing kids that always seem to be hungry is a challenge. Our average food bill is $1000 monthly, and that’s with cutting as many corners as we can. Food is insanely expensive here.
Do a little research and find out when all the goods you mentioned, were harvested, packaged, shipped, arrived and sold in the market!! We are paying prices for FRESH goods only to receive perishing foods and chicken with discolored(yellow spots)skin.
what’s worse is, you get the lettuce home and have to throw half of it out cuz it’s brown. I don’t have much, and much less a green thumb, but I can tell you I have grown romaine lettuce, arugula, parsley/basil and a tomato plant in 3 small pots at my door. and they are growing well with no assistance from me besides the odd watering! perhaps the answer is to give these families small box gardens and teach them and their children the value of growing their own food instead of giving more money to the ungrateful owners of Market Place!
There no need for the government to spend 124,000,000 for 2016, if you have hungry students, pour money down the drain.. add 1,000,000 for Feed the children, (it’s our money politicians) save the country future.. also think about this we spend $80,000 per year for an inmate , 3 square meals, a bed and security! seriously Bermuda .. do the math..BUT guess what..our political system is corrupt[both parties] , it caters for the rich and the tickle down economics for the rest
It is going to get worst once these predatory casinos come online. The measure of the civility of a society is how it takes care of the weakest among us.
Casinos can actually help by finding community programs and providing much needed jobs! Get with the program and stop being part of the problem!
Funding…
Well…. not everyone gets a BONUS for doing absolutely nothing like the Tourism Authority CEO.
It’s funny that Ms. Cooper has addressed this (as usual), but not the PLP nor the OBA. and they both say that they care about the people?????
I feel sorry for even calling myself BERMUDA right now
*Bermudian
If crime was the headline, by now there will be over 100 comments or views on solution, shame on the person. Bermuda children Hunger , …..far fading cricket sound, shame on us
Sensitivity to who in the class has no lunch, and whether or nor they will be singled out and embarrassed rest on the mind of the student. I wonder ho w the school handles this. There is no easy fix. Teachers have been alerted to report signs of physical abuse, i.e. a student has welts across the face the principal, nurse, social services, and possibly the police may also be involved. When the child has had no lunch for three consecutive days what do you say. It will be interesting, whether or not the Department of Financ ial Assistance, will respond publicly to this major concern raised by Ms. C ooper, in a general way. They might say they look at situations case by case…..what the parent wants to know is the length of time it will take to process a request…and why some appli cations may be turned down. If the application is turned down, how is the child suppose to feel toward fellow students who may tease him. Are there likely to be any behaviour issues? If so, is a file kept, and will this have any bearing on examinations. Remember, teachers mark exams, and if a child has slapped a fellow student cause he was teased for not having lun ch, the teacher may give the student a C minus grade, when he really should have a B. What happens in the home, may very well impact on what a student accomplishes in the class. Our teachers deserve our support big time, cause there is a lot going on in this country that may well be in the minds of many students. Teachers, paid to teach, not be social worker s, but in reality….teachers have to give a bit of attention to issues of the day. Hopefully, Government and agencies will respond.
This is a very sad state of affairs and is a symptom of our islands troubles.
Cannot be blamed on the OBA over the PLP over the UBP as it is the result of multiple errors made by successive governments be they social, economic or in education.
1) As already stated, charities need to make sure there efforts are aligned. Multiple groups trying to provide the same service is not an economical use of our limited resources.
2) How to pay for additional lunches for those children going hungry? Could the various lunchtime sandwich and salad shops around town ask their customers if they wish to purchase a child lunch when they pay for their own at say $5 or $10. At the end of the week the funds collected by each participating retailor could be forwarded to the CPC or equivalent? If this was widely adopted and professionally managed I would certainly by one or two child lunches each week.
3) We need to better educate Bermuda’s children on the implications of having a child too early in life. Women can have children well into their thirties safely. Having children in ones thirties means there has been time to complete ones education, build the foundation of a career, find oneself, and hopefully establish a partnership with a husband or wife which will last. I am not saying don’t have children, just wait until you are established as it will be better for you, your kids and your partner.
4) We cannot as a society be letting children go hungry but at the same time (and I don’t know how this is done) we need to be careful not to set a precedent where people believe they don’t need to be responsible for their own actions and can simply rely on charity whether it is individual or governmental.
At the end of the day, the single most important matter to fix in Bermuda is education. If we can do that our other problems will take care of themselves. We need somebody to pick up the education batten and lead an island wide discussion. Don’t think this should be a government / civil service led discussion as they have already proven they are not capable in this sector.
best comment so far in this thread.
The government needs to make sure the people of Bermuda get PAID properly! I know a lot of people that make under $1000, have rent/mortgage to pay, bills etc! Yes kids should come first but what is better a kid with no house or a kid with no lunch? You have the Americas cup where each team is spending $100 million and the government can’t help its people make a descent living! It all falls back to the government! The government needs to do better!!
Our children are our future. Why not ask for $ donations online from those who can spare $5 or $10 or more to contribute to their old school that they attended to help out. Why not say all parents who ARE working have to pay a small fee per month to help the school. Shoot for those children in private schools, their parents are paying big time and on top of that they are paying for the public schools too via taxes. So come on, everyone who are working need to pink up. Maybe it is time for us all to open our hearts and wallets wider for those who simply are out of work and suffering.
I am concerned about those getting Financial assistance mind you. It is a road to disaster. Once you are on that gravy train, it is hard to have the mind set to try to get off it. Like a drug, it controls your mind and if free why work for it? I never thought I would ever see our Bermuda in such a state.
America’s cup will bring in dollars, but that is a lot of peanut butter sandwiches which will be consumed in that year.
One pack of cigarettes would be a good $ donation for instance.
One appointment of new nail painting.
One six pack of beer.
The cost of those simply things would help a kid to eat – go hungry for a day and think about it as your tummy rocks, rolls and grumbles.
EVERYTHING YOU DO IS BASED ON THE CHOICES YOU MAKE.
IT’S NOT YOUR PARENTS, YOUR PAST RELATIONSHIPS, YOUR JOB, THE ECONOMY, POLITICIANS, THE WEATHER, AN ARGUMENT OR YOUR AGE THAT IS TO BLAME. YOU AND ONLY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY DECISION AND CHOICE YOU MAKE. PERIOD .
STOP THE BLAME GAME
YO MANY FORIANS HERE WITH JOBS AND TO MANNY BERMUDIAN WITH OUT JOBS SEND THESE FORIANS BACK TO THEY COUNTRY 99 PERSENT OF FORIANS HERE IN BERMUDA HAVE JOBS
What???
speaka de english ?
i have not heard a word from Government today on this matter, even a brief statement to say works are in progress. This situation did not become a problem only a month ago. The economy has been poor for a while, so it has been good that at Christmas there have been food banks called for, and fur ther that have been Back to School drives, with free hair-cuts, and back pa cks. Some-one needs to say where a member of the public can purchase a meal voucher, if such a plan is put together.
after attending school these years over half the cases its usually the childs fault for being to lazy to wake up earlier or whatever or the parents for not doing their job but for the ones that isn’t hope someone can help cause i will countinue to give