As a social worker I am concerned about hunger in the Shippensburg Community.
In a study done by Feeding America, they found that 11.5 percent, or approximately 27,240 of the population in Cumberland County, experiences food insecurity and 17,318 of Franklin County residents also experience food insecurity.
Tell me, what is a major factor driving this problem? The answer can only be one thing: hunger.
Since hunger is a major issue in our society, many children experience negative effects such as physical, mental, behavioral and emotional need, according to Feeding America.
Children who have experienced hunger and food insecurity are more likely to repeat a grade, miss multiple days of school, be suspended from school and most importantly they can suffer from health issues.
Right now, in the Shippensburg Area School District, every one in three children are reliant on the free and reduced lunch program, due to low family incomes.
If we want to help these children, we must spread awareness about the issue of hunger within the community.
Five Shippensburg social work students are coming together to educate the community about food insecurity and to fundraise money to support the summer lunch program and the Hound Packs program, which are sponsored by the Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition (SCRC).
These programs provide lunches to children throughout the school year, as well as during the summer when school is not in session.
As social workers we are concerned about this issue and want to make a difference within the Shippensburg community.
If you would like to make a donation, please visit this website https://tinyurl.com/SUFeedsFuture. All donations are tax deductible.
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