Facing reality !

Australia is not a third world country, but it is a fact of life that a lot of kids go to school hungry because there is not enough money in their household to provide breakfast.  An Anglicare survey reports that at least 45,000 households who access emergency relief  lack the money to adequately feed their families.

It is easy to point the finger and find culprits to blame, but it is not the fault of the little kids who struggle to keep up with their peers in education levels because hunger saps their strength and dilutes their ability to concentrate.   Compassion compels us to roll up our sleeves and do something about it.

A remedy is in place in many below standard living areas.    Sometimes it is the teachers at the local school.  Sometimes members of a concerned welfare group.    Sometimes the more affluent Mums and Dads  band together to provide a school breakfast to put things right - and it costs very little money.

The sad thing is that many of these helpful groups are now being denied a pittance of government support because of the financial situation, and yet it is just a handful of dollars that enables them to buy the basic necessities to make such a big difference.   These people make just a few dollars go a long way, because they donate their time and effort to do the work needed free of charge.

There are many reasons that people find themselves struggling financially.   We do have a degree of unemployment, and the dole falls $225 short of the poverty level.   Some households fall victim to alcohol or drug abuse, and in some other cases mental illness makes a normal life impossible.    What is undeniable is the fact that whatever the cause of lack of money in a household, the little kids who are suffering because of it are not to blame.

We do not want to see a return of diseases like Rickets and children with stunted growth in this country with one of the world's best living standards, but it can happen if we do not take measures to see that those on the fringe of our society get at least one decent meal per day - and the one that will do the most good is breakfast.

Instead of cutting back on help to get a free breakfast operating in disadvantaged schools, this should get a level of encouragement from all levels of state and Federal government.   It is an area where a few dollars judiciously spent can deliver both health and educational rewards !