I guess I never thought of it that way...
I've been reading the book Nickle and Dimed for a class. Awesome book. I'm preparing for my service-learning, which is going to be awesome- My grandmother connected me to a woman from her church, and together we are organizing a program to get lunches to kids in the summer who recieve subsidized lunches during the school year.
I'm working on a (supposed to be short) paper for class talking about the book, the service-learning, and I have to integrate 2 journal articles.
In reading these articles, i'm reading one about the National School Lunch Program and thinking about the kids my mom teaches, most of which are on this program. Then I think about my own childhood, and how our cafeteria was set up so that no one would know if the kids were on subsidized lunch or not.
Then it dawns on me...
We were never on the program, but my mom's decision to be a stay-at-home mom when we were in elementary school made money incredibly tight. I never gave it much thouht until today. The woman who took the money for lunches was doin us such a huge favor. The way the cafeteria was set up, you got your lunch in the line, then went to Mrs. Isabelle's table. She had a little cash box, and a book which she kept records of anyone who pre-paid lunch. That meant that your parents could send in a check and pre-pay your lunch every week or month or whatever. It also meant (as a byproduct) that if you had subsidized lunch, all your buddys just assumed your parents pre-paid.
or in my case, it meant that Mrs. Isabelle could slip me a note with how many lunches my mom owed them money for when the number started to get high...
Mom always cauht up by the end of the year, but I'm stopping now to reflect and I'm realizing that Mrs. Isabelle kept me fed for 75% of my childhood. I'm incredibly greatful.
I have to admit, I looked at the Barkhamsted School website to see if she's still working there, and she isn't listed. Too bad, because I'd really like to thank her. Maybe its this whole Social Work thing gone to my head, but I want her to know what a difference she made in my life.
There are so many people in our town that supported us while Iw as growing up.... I hope I can find a community like that to raise my own children in.
I'm working on a (supposed to be short) paper for class talking about the book, the service-learning, and I have to integrate 2 journal articles.
In reading these articles, i'm reading one about the National School Lunch Program and thinking about the kids my mom teaches, most of which are on this program. Then I think about my own childhood, and how our cafeteria was set up so that no one would know if the kids were on subsidized lunch or not.
Then it dawns on me...
We were never on the program, but my mom's decision to be a stay-at-home mom when we were in elementary school made money incredibly tight. I never gave it much thouht until today. The woman who took the money for lunches was doin us such a huge favor. The way the cafeteria was set up, you got your lunch in the line, then went to Mrs. Isabelle's table. She had a little cash box, and a book which she kept records of anyone who pre-paid lunch. That meant that your parents could send in a check and pre-pay your lunch every week or month or whatever. It also meant (as a byproduct) that if you had subsidized lunch, all your buddys just assumed your parents pre-paid.
or in my case, it meant that Mrs. Isabelle could slip me a note with how many lunches my mom owed them money for when the number started to get high...
Mom always cauht up by the end of the year, but I'm stopping now to reflect and I'm realizing that Mrs. Isabelle kept me fed for 75% of my childhood. I'm incredibly greatful.
I have to admit, I looked at the Barkhamsted School website to see if she's still working there, and she isn't listed. Too bad, because I'd really like to thank her. Maybe its this whole Social Work thing gone to my head, but I want her to know what a difference she made in my life.
There are so many people in our town that supported us while Iw as growing up.... I hope I can find a community like that to raise my own children in.