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I was with my son (just started kindergarten) in his breakfast line before school yesterday and there was a pair of sisters who were denied breakfast because their mother hadn't paid a balance. We're talking about 1st grade and 2nd grade children here, being denied (albeit reasonably) a chance to eat breakfast before having to perform academically in school that day. The girls were anxious, both of them really nervous fidgeting their fingers while listening to the lady tell them "you're mom still hasn't paid what she owes the school sweetie... I can't give you another breakfast." So I immediately pulled out some cash and told the lady that I'd cover the balance so they could eat, and it got me thinking...


...I think I'm going to start a non-profit for sponsoring breakfast for kids like these, and others. Now I don't know whether or not these girls would "qualify" because I don't know what their situation is at home. I have to assume that their mom is either broke or just a piece of shit. I don't even know what criteria I would develop or how I would implement it. All I know is that I couldn't stand knowing that these little kids were going to be hungry at school, and when I posted about it on my FB there was an outpouring of support, to the extent that business owners that I'm friends with agreed with my post about wanting to sponsor kids' breakfasts and promised that they would contribute to the cause if I actually did it. So I think I'm gonna do it.

I'm gonna feed the kids breakfast. Got some research to do about non-profits and the school district's regulations.

So ridiculous. My kids' school has a policy of providing at least a cheese sandwich or other basic meal even if their account isn't paid up.

Yarbicus wrote:So ridiculous. My kids' school has a policy of providing at least a cheese sandwich or other basic meal even if their account isn't paid up.

Our district will cover meals if you just simply fill out a meal application, and of course you have to qualify. Even if you don't qualify for free meals, there's reduced pricing that makes it $20/month or something really manageable. So I still don't quite understand why these girls' mom can't get them fed.

that's a real good idea man, i am sure you can find an atty to get that started for cheap or free.

pretty heartless of that lady to just stonewall some little kids like that, damn.

we got 1.2 billion going out in aid to egypt, you think we could feed our own kids.

basically here in L.A. a child will not get breakfast only if the parent is a piece of shit and don't want to pay the school. If they are truly poor/broke they can fill out a free meal application and the child gets free meals.

Maybe this child's parent should be reported to DYFS because there is no way a child would go without a school meal for being poor.

sleewell wrote:that's a real good idea man, i am sure you can find an atty to get that started for cheap or free.

pretty heartless of that lady to just stonewall some little kids like that, damn.

we got 1.2 billion going out in aid to egypt, you think we could feed our own kids.

It seemed heartless to me to but she has protocol to follow and I couldn't fault her for it. I've have to be heartless from time to time in order to uphold protocol here at work too. There was just no way I was gonna stand there and not hand over $5 for these girls to eat.

sleewell wrote:that's a real good idea man, i am sure you can find an atty to get that started for cheap or free.

pretty heartless of that lady to just stonewall some little kids like that, damn.

we got 1.2 billion going out in aid to egypt, you think we could feed our own kids.

I know it's easy to vilify her, but she's more than likely got no say in the matter and risks losing a job that likely doesn't even pay her own bills to begin with.

Mike LX-R wrote:

sleewell wrote:that's a real good idea man, i am sure you can find an atty to get that started for cheap or free.

pretty heartless of that lady to just stonewall some little kids like that, damn.

we got 1.2 billion going out in aid to egypt, you think we could feed our own kids.

It seemed heartless to me to but she has protocol to follow and I couldn't fault her for it. I've have to be heartless from time to time in order to uphold protocol here at work too. There was just no way I was gonna stand there and not hand over $5 for these girls to eat.

She was stopping them over a $5 unpaid bakance??!?!?

mamberg wrote:

Mike LX-R wrote:

sleewell wrote:that's a real good idea man, i am sure you can find an atty to get that started for cheap or free.

pretty heartless of that lady to just stonewall some little kids like that, damn.

we got 1.2 billion going out in aid to egypt, you think we could feed our own kids.

It seemed heartless to me to but she has protocol to follow and I couldn't fault her for it. I've have to be heartless from time to time in order to uphold protocol here at work too. There was just no way I was gonna stand there and not hand over $5 for these girls to eat.

She was stopping them over a $5 unpaid bakance??!?!?

Right? All this tells me is that it would be really easy to help.

This is a really nice idea, and it's nice to hear what you did, and what you want to turn it into.

Find out how you can get it officially approved by the school district. You should look into the WIC (Women/Infant/Children) FDA guidelines. They do something similar, and if you follow their protocol, just adding an extra 'umbrella' of coverage it should smooth your path. WIC also has prescreening guidelines; though you may not want that, those guidelines may be helpful to think about as you figure out your method.

Two of my friends grew up poor in a tiny rural town. They're solid professionals today, and good hearted, generous people. Your story of those girls in line makes me think of them. Thanks for what you're doing, I hope you'll tell us here about how it's going.