The first time Nicholas opened his food bag, he looked at his school social worker and said, “I get this every week?” Quiet and sweet, Nicholas takes a while to warm up. But the more he talks, the more his excitement about his food starts to shine. Getting his own bag means the world to him.
He likes getting the bag because he knows that it relieves the strain on his mother to afford food. Nicholas’ family is living with his grandmother right now. Often hard to get in touch with, his mom is not around much, and he and his brother spend a lot of time with their grandmother and grandfather.
Nicholas’ teacher was adamant that he become a BackPack Beginnings recipient. She saw on a daily basis that he was not getting enough to eat. Though he is only in second grade, his serious brown eyes reflect knowledge of how the world works. He understands that his mom depends on other people to have a place to live and enough food to eat. He mentioned that they often go to other people’s houses to eat dinner. Having his own bag of food every Friday ensures that he does not have to count on someone else to have enough food to feed him. He can just go over to the cabinet where his mom stores his food and get his own meal or snack. In a life where there is little that he can truly count on, getting the bag every week is more than just food. It is also a reminder that someone cares enough to make sure he isn’t hungry.
All children’s names have been changed
Written on 3/25/2013 by Blogger Thea DeLoreto
