FOR YOUR INFORMATION - from the Bread for the World Website:

     The greatest shortfall in the child nutrition programs is the lack of assistance for low-income children during the summer. Nationally, the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) serves about one in ten children who qualify for the free or reduced-price school meals.The SFSP, even though it is an entitlement program, is not reaching the many millions of children it is supposed to serve. Often, there is no one willing to provide these meals in the summertime. Over the years, sponsoring organizations have been schools, parks, playgrounds, migrant centers, Indian reservations, houses of worship and many others. Some organizations that could and would provide services have opted out of the program due to stringent administrative requirements.

     A pilot program proposed by Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) in 2000 was an important step in simplifying the process these organizations had to follow. From 2001 to 2004, 13 states and Puerto Rico participated in the pilot. Even though six more states have been added to the program, there is much more to be done. Transporting children to the services in rural areas continues to be one of the major problems. The following is a Case Study offered in the article by Karole Bradford This study personalizes the situation and gives it a young, touching, and hopeful face:

     Andrew was a 7 year old when he started coming to the SFSP at Fairmount United Church of Christ in 2002. He and his brothers were spending their days roaming the neighborhood and roughhousing in the park. Gangs and drugs were a threat to the area.

     Andrew's mother worked most days, so the boys were on their own from 7 in the morning until about 6 at night. Andrew is the face of the SFSP. He lives below the poverty level in a single-parent working household. His mother's salary is just slightly above minimum wage. Andrew and his brothers could not count on food being in the house. In fact they never ate breakfast, and dinner was hit-or-miss. The SFSP was their only reliable source of food . Itt was also a dependable source of friendship, commuinity, structure and exercise.

     Andrew and his brothers were always the first to arrive for lunch, sometimes showing up as early as an hour and a half before the meal was served, and they were always the last to leave. They never missed a day.Andrew has a long, hard row to hoe as he grows up, but he has a better chance for healthy development and a good life with the support of programs like the SFSP.

     To learn more about this program and and what we as individuals and a church community can do to help, log on to bread.com. You can also call me or speak to me on the 4th Sunday of the month at the Letterwriting table. In the meantime, we can include all of these children in our prayers as we wish for a safe and happy summer for them all, no matter where they live.                   Judy Carlson

 

Harvest Zucchini Bread

2 eggs            3 cups flour   1 1/2 cups sugar      1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened         1 T cinnamon           1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda                 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg                     1/4 tsp cloves

1 T vanilla                              1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup shredded carrots    1/2 cup chopped nuts

 

Heat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with Pam. Cream butter and sugars til fluffy. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Mix dry ingredients with butter. Add zucchini, carrots, nuts and vanilla. Spoon into bundt pan. Cook at least 60 minutes, usually 65-70.

If you don't have a bundt pan, two 8x4 loaf pans work just as well.

Margie