Perspectives: Sam’s Perspective – Hungry

I’ve got some numbers to pass along that are going to make you uncomfortable, but you need to know about them. Did you know that Oklahoma ranks among the top 5 states in the number of people who are hungry? Well, sadly it true. The numbers come from the Oklahoma Policy Institute. And there’s more bad news. One in four Oklahoma children is at risk of going to bed hungry every night. Additionally, one in sixteen Oklahoma seniors, ages 60 and up, struggle with hunger each and every day. Sadly, Oklahoma is ranked 10th. In difficulty accessing affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. Basically, 17.2 percent of Oklahoma’s population is hungry. That translates to roughly 653,820 people who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. Of that number around 233, 350 are children. In other words, Oklahoma has some of the worst hunger statistics in the nation. What’s being done about it? Very little by elected officials. I just read that about half a million children nationwide could lose access to free school meals under a Trump administration proposal to limit the number of people who qualify for food stamps. Overall the proposed change would cut an estimated 3-million people from SNAP, or the food stamp program. A number of groups, non-profit organizations are fighting the hunger problem. There are those among us who would say, “Hey, if they’re hungry, tell em to get a job. Nobody gives me a free meal. Let em work for their dinner.” I say let those who would spew such poison stand before a hungry 5-year-old and shout, “If you want to eat, get a job.” Or let them tell an 85-year-old woman in poor health and living alone, who does without, the same thing. You and I both know there will always be poor out there and the reasons for their station in life are complicated.
I will admit I’m not smart enough to figure out how we go about solving the problems of the poor. But I do know everyone has the right of access to food. Not all of us are able to work to take care of our needs. So, it’s up to the rest of us to do what we can to care for them.
To make sure no child goes to bed hungry, no veteran’s family is hungry and the elderly and the chronically unemployable are taken care of as well. They are us, you see. We are all of the same family and right now, more than ever, some members of our family need our help.
I’m Sam Jones and that’s my Perspective.