Contributed by Eddie Ezelle
Millions of children in America endure a cycle of poverty and food insecurity, often with seemingly few resources to ever break free.
Although making sure children consume the recommendations for milk and milk products may not be the first thing that comes to mind, drinking nutrient-rich milk is part of the proper nutrition from all food groups. It helps create success throughout life of good eating habits that are healthy.
Numerous studies demonstrate a connection between nutrition and educational performance, which helps provide reliable ways out from poverty’s grasp. Better decisions like drinking a glass milk, consuming dairy products or even eating an apple can help shift the poverty cycle giving kids a fighting chance moving forward into adulthood.
Low-income neighborhoods can create cultural pressure to make the wrong choice involving nutritional food. Marketing also can encourage unhealthy food choices. Things like candy and calorie-dense fast food is readily available in lower-income neighborhoods. The better selection grocery stores or farmers markets that carry fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy generally populate higher-income neighborhoods and can create transportation issues along with other problems for lower income families.
The lack of access to quality food, the cultural influence of nutrient poor foods, along with low physical activity among the factors, have all played a role in the epidemic of childhood obesity and its related health problems.
Indirectly, hunger also strikes others, by making them aware of the daily struggle family, friends and neighbors may face. No one wants to see a child suffering, especially due to hunger.
“Dairy farmers have been committed to the health and wellness of Americans, with an emphasis on child health since they founded National Dairy Council (NDC) nearly a century ago,” stated Jean H. Ragalie, RD, president of NDC. “And this includes addressing hunger and helping ensure every child has access to nutrient-rich foods and opportunities to thrive.” *
Many programs work diligently, helping educate and provide nutritional food and physical activity. And these are showing the healthy benefits that better choices play in the future of everyone.
We need more resolve in making sure all kids have the nutritional food. They need to grow into strong, healthy, productive, educated adults.
One healthy glass of milk, one nutritious meal, one kid at a time is perhaps our most effective solution to sustain their future. Helping make strong communities for us all.
If these concerns are not dealt with, the results are very damaging. If children and families are not fed properly, they will continue to experience all the damaging effects of malnutrition. Without sufficient nutrition and education, children become adults who continue to live in poverty resulting in more hunger, illness and crime. When families don’t have the basics for living, food, housing, clothing, they generally cannot maintain good hygiene which results in unhealthy conditions.
But with the help of people just like you, we can continue our work to feed bodies, minds and futures. Each $1 you send will be stretched to have the impact of $5!
From the families we serve together, Thank you.
The MatSu Food Bank Family,
Eddie Ezelle, Director
(We receive support from numerous individuals like you. Organizations such as Bishop’s Attic II, Mat-Su Health Foundation, Camper Valley RV, Northern Edge Physical Therapy, Walmart, Safeway, F. Meyer and other retailers, Pick.Click.Give. local utilities, United Way, churches and others, all help support our programs and projects in the Valley.)
*As quoted from the article “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: How Milk Can Help” by Thomas Schueneman.
