ABOUT US

     In an effort to help our students reach their full learning potential, McHenry High School District 156 realized that we had to come face to face with the struggles our students encounter each day before they even step inside our schools. One of the most prevalent issues some experience is the lack of enough quality food in their diets to help sustain their ability to learn.  In 2014, according to Feeding America.org, “Although related, food insecurity and poverty are not the same, poverty in the United States is only one of many factors associated with food insecurity. In fact, higher unemployment, lower household assets, and certain demographic characteristics also lead to a lack of access to adequate, nutritious food.” Some important statistics that will help clarify the problems:

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Poverty Statistics in the United States (In 2014):

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• 46.7 million people (14.8 percent) were in poverty.

• 15.5 million (21.1 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty.

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Very Low Food Insecurity and Food Insecurity in the US (In 2014):

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• 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children.

• 14 percent of households (17.4 million households) were food insecure.

• 6 percent of households (6.9 million households) experienced very low food security.

• Households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 19 percent compared to 12 percent.

• Households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (19%), especially households with children headed by single women (35%) or single men (22%).

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     In McHenry High School District 156, 1 in 3.6 students qualify for a free lunch which requires the family to be at or below the poverty line (a family of four: approximately $24,000 yearly income). McHenry High School School District 156 is instituting a program (Food for Thought) to help with those students that are in need. We believe that by offering a food pantry at the school, we will help our students make the most of their education.  The Food for Thought program provides a weekend supply of nutritious food for children, commonly for low-income families, to replace the school meals that children miss during their weekend or extended breaks from school. Each weekend, we hope to provide a food bag that contains enough food for two breakfasts, two lunches, two snacks.  All food is nonperishable.

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     Children will be able to opt-in and opt-out of the program. We invite you to help as this will be run completely by wonderful volunteers; we will need folks to help pack food bags weekly and find and organize fundraising and donation drives that keep the program running, as it will be funded through the generous gifts of potential community donors.

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