Some Details Irrelevant When Hunger Exists
To the Editor:
In response to Brandon Scheilack’s letter last week:
Let me start with a more positive light. While I mostly agree with at least two of your ideas: a farm-to-school program and hosting a school garden, I feel you gloss-over the devilish details and costs this would require. Whether I could end up supporting this depends on those details and let’s understand foremost that there is no way this will ‘pay for itself.’
Next, I would like to remind Mr. Schielack that former President Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 which was championed by our former First Lady Michelle Obama... and according to a JAMA study published 28-Jul, 2020 school-aged children have been eating healthier school lunches with better overall nutritional quality since. While we can always improve on this, I don’t see the environment in DC, Austin, or even in LG at a place you’re going to get consensus... and let’s not think this will happen without legislation... it won’t.
Now, a more real-world view: Let’s not put the cart before the horse. I take it that you’ve never actually gone hungry or had any real worries where your next meal will come from. I take it you have no clue what it is actually like to be food insecure. Let me tell you from personal experience, when you’re hungry you don’t give a flip about nutritional value, later consequences, or if you should be eating better. You are focused solely on having that hunger.. the emptiness in the pit of your stomach that only food can fulfill ... satisfied. I’m not talking about the “I’ve not eaten since last night” hunger.. I’m talking about real, legitimate hunger.. the “I’ve not eaten in days” hunger. Nor do I expect you’ve ever wondered what it is like to wonder when your next meal would be coming from, or when... will it be tonight, tomorrow, or sometime on Monday when school reopens... and don’t for one second think that doesn’t exist right here in Fayette County.
Let’s not misunderstand that we are discussing meeting the basic physiological need: food. Once we have eliminated hunger, ensuring no one unwillingly goes hungry, in Fayette County, then let’s take up the mantra of food quality and how we can improve on it. As long as someone is going hungry, discussing the quality of food is putting the cart before the horse. In product development terms: you need an MVP before you can have an MMP. You’re working on an MMP while we don’t yet have an MVP.
Eric Green
La Grange