WDBJ7: “SWVA students get meal plan support, still in need of more”
The following is an excerpt from an article posted on WDBJ7’s website in Oct 2017:
“(WDBJ7) Students in Virginia are going hungry, according to recent polling done by No Kid Hungry. One in six kids are in families struggling with hunger, but one company announced Tuesday they want to help Southwest Virginia.
Islamic Relief USA in Alexandria gave a $100,000 grant to No Kid Hungry Virginia to be used exclusively in Southwest Virginia schools. The grant is expected to benefit about 45,153 children, the organization said.
“Several studies over the years have shown strong correlations between eating healthfully and academic performance,” said Anwar Khan, president of Islamic Relief USA. “We want to make sure children, particularly from underprivileged backgrounds, enjoy the same access to high quality food as their peers. Every child is precious.”
According to the polling, people around Virginia believe childhood hunger is a problem. But those numbers are highest in Southwest Virginia.
Claire Mansfield is the State Director of No Kid Hungry Virginia.
She explained, “When these children go to school, these are the only meals that they might receive. So maybe this lunch at school may be the only meal that they receive until lunch the next day.”
In fact, five of the most food insecure counties in the Commonwealth are in Southwest Virginia, Buchanan, Dickinson, Lee, Wise and Grayson counties. ”
Read the full post on WDBJ7
