Page 28 - SummerServeGuide2019

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INVEST PERIMETER ORG/SUMMERSERVING
End Child Hunger this Summer
PARTNER WITH YOUR LOCAL FOOD FOOD CO-OP AND HOST A A A A SUMMER FOOD FOOD DRIVE!
According to Feeding
America there are approximately
280 980 food insecure individuals
in in in in in in Forsyth Fulton and Gwinnett counties
combined (Feeding America 2018) Community Outreach has longstanding partnerships with
with
several Title I schools within the 10 mile radius of Perimeter
Church whose rate utilizing reduced lunch ranges from 87% to over 95% of of the the the student student population (varying by school) If these
numbers are representative for where students students receive two of of their
their
three meals a a a a a a a a a a a a day then we we can conclude that these
students students and their
their
families are are left without in in the the the the the eight weeks of summer summer break All summer summer long Community Outreach promotes serving opportunities through partnerships in in in in our neighborhood to to to bring meals to to to families from extended stay hotels to to to low-income apartment complexes Low food security and hunger can contribute to to to to toxic stress stress – the the strong unrelieved activation of the the body’s stress stress management system (APA 2019) A A A study focusing on on on on on low-income children children ages six to to to to to twelve categorized into “hungry ” ” ” “at-risk for for hunger” or or or or or or “not hungry” found that hungry hungry hungry children children were significantly more likely to to to to receive receive special education services have have repeated a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a grade in in in school and to to to to have have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or or or or or not-hungry children children (APA 2019 Also in in in in in in in in this study hungry hungry children children exhibited 7 to to to to 12 times as as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as as as as as fighting blaming others for for problems having trouble with
a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher not not not listening to to to rules stealing) than at- risk for for hunger or or or or or or not-hungry peers peers (APA 2019) Among low-income children those classified as as as as “hungry” show increased anxious irritable aggressive and and oppositional behavior in in in in in in comparison to peers peers Additionally the multiple stressors associated with
poverty result in in in in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and and functional problems (APA 2019) As the the the the the the the end end of of of the the the the the the the school school year year approaches students across the the the the the the the country are anxiously anticipating the the the the the the the start of of of their
summer summer vacation vacation Not everyone can afford to be excited about the the the the the the the the the end end of of the the the the the the the the the school school year year however Hunger doesn’t take a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a vacation vacation In fact the the the the the need need is greatest during the the the the the summer summer months Low-income students are no longer receiving free or reduced-cost breakfast and and lunch at at at school and and families need need to to look elsewhere to to replace those meals For many of of our neighbors putting food on on on on the the table remains a a a a a a a a a a a a a a daily struggle Our local co-ops meanwhile typically see a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a drop in in in in in donations this time time of of year Now is is the the time time to take action and fight hunger in in in your community by hosting a a a a a food drive Hosting a a a a a a Food Drive can be a a a a a a fun way to meet new friends and reconnect with
old ones! Consider hosting a a a a a food drive:
• In your neighborhood • On your street
• At your workplace
• With your kids summer clubs or camps
• Swim team clubs • At your child’s daycare or school • With your Connect Group Group or Journey Group Community Outreach has already created flyers flyers and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a how-to guide to to to to get you started! For more information and and and to to to to download flyers flyers sign sign up sheets and and and yard signs go to: perimeter org/fooddrivekit