Barb LaClair, chair of the Kansas Food Security Task Force, spoke Wednesday during a news conference with Gov. Mark Parkinson at the Capitol. Parkinson designated September as "Hunger Awareness Month," and made the task force permanent to monitor hunger issues and advise ways to reduce food insecurity.
Task force formed to battle hunger problem
Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson has created a task force designed to help combat the hunger problems facing Kansas families. September is Hunger Awareness Month. Enlarge video
Topeka — Officials on Wednesday sought to raise awareness about the increasing problem of hunger in Kansas.
“No Kansan should be faced with having to decide between making ends meet or putting food on the table,” said Gov. Mark Parkinson.
One out of every seven Kansas households fears it will not have enough food, which is the eighth highest rate in the country.
Not having sufficient nutritious food leads to a number of health and education problems, Parkinson said.
At a news conference, Parkinson signed a proclamation designating September “Hunger Awareness Month,” and issued an executive order making permanent the already existing Kansas Food Security Task Force.
Barb LaClair, who has served as chair of the task force, said many Kansans are “struggling to put food on the table.”
She said that according to surveys nearly one in four families with children in Kansas are food insecure.
In the past fiscal year, the Kansas Food Assistance program served a record average of 117,000 families per month, and the three nonprofit Feeding America food banks in Kansas distributed more than 16 million pounds of food. During the 2009-10 school year, 47.5 percent of students participated in free or reduced-price school meal programs.
LaClair said there are concerns about getting nutritious food, too. Eleven farmers’ markets, including the one in Lawrence, accept food stamps for payment. She said she hoped to increase that number so that people receiving assistance can purchase nutritious food.
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
sunshine_noise (anonymous) says…
and what is that suppose to do?
Shardwurm (anonymous) says…
About 75,000 of those 117,000 families are there because they're paying college tuition.
TopJayhawk (anonymous) says…
Many others are there because they do not want a job.
Many others are there because they can't afford rent, utilities, food, and drugs and booze which come first always.
Others are there simply because it is their goal in life to get all the hand-outs they can.
Think I'm wrong? Don't bet on it.
Alceste (anonymous) says…
edjayhawk (anonymous) says…
Socialism. Plain as day. :)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't you mean corporate welfare? After all, these programs aren't set up to feed people first....they're set up to prop up price supports and corporate welfare being paid out to Argibusiness by Uncle Sam. The truth can be painful, I understand. Let's take a look at who gets what, money wise....oh....say right here in Douglas County as an example:
http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fi...