The Reality of Poverty

This article strikes a cord with me because it is the bind I am currently witnessing at my own organization, the Ely Chapman Education Foundation. When making up the daily food menu for children, there are many concerns that need to be taken into account. The first is price. Fresh, healthy food tends to be more expensive. While Ely Chapman works hard to pinpoint foods on sale, the reality is that sometimes the nonprofit must purchase cheaper food. Second, the food bought must be able to be mass produced for about 150 students in the span of an hour and a half. This places a limit on the ability to use too many fresh ingredients. Third, the food must be something that the students will agree to eat, because if the students do not eat the healthy food that is put in front of them, then the whole thing loses its purpose. Finally, the food must be as healthy as is possible, taking in to consideration the restraints mentioned before.Facing such multifaceted concerns, it is easy to see how organizations and individual families can choose to prioritize elements other than nutrition. These complex considerations is why our country is facing the twin problems of obesity and hunger.

Having experienced this situation at Ely Chapman, I can imagine the struggle a low-income family must go through when deciding upon dinner. A McDouble at McDonald's costs one dollar. What would a parent choose when faced with the reality of cheap, unhealthy, but filling food, or expensive, but healthy, selections that will most likely mean less to eat? I cannot say what even I, an informed and educated individual would do if placed in such a situation. While I remain unsure about what exactly to do to solve this problem, I do know that something must be done to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Healthy foods must see a price reduction, so that impoverish families can provide their children, and themselves, with the nutrition they need, without having to use their entire months paycheck to do so.