Leaders at Laughlin — and those at other organizations throughout West Virginia who assist at-risk youth — now are seeking federal reimbursement dollars to continue providing the meals for youths ages 13-18.
Federal guidelines currently fund the meals only for children age 12 and younger, providing only a lesser “snack” reimbursement for food for teenagers.
Seven states, however, are exempted from this guideline and do receive the full reimbursement for at-risk teenagers’ meals.
Laughlin has partnered with U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to try and get this exemption for West Virginia.
Mollohan has amended the National School Lunch Act by adding West Virginia to the list of states in which institutions running after-school programs under the Child and Adult Care Food Program can receive a full meal subsidy from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mollohan’s language was included in the fiscal 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that recently passed the House. The legislation now is before the Senate.
“It is upsetting to know that we provide nutritionally balanced meals for young children, and that the government says, ‘Bigger kids, you are on your own,’” said Teddie Grogran, program director at Laughlin.
“These kids are voracious eaters, and they are growing. Sadly, they are the ones most likely to not eat a healthy meal.”
The Rev. James Ellison, executive director at Laughlin, said his organization spends as much as $60,000 a year providing food to at-risk youths and children. He said probably $40,000 to $45,000 of this sum goes toward the dinners provided to the teens.
During the school year, the youths come to the chapel after the school day is finished and participate in activities, he said. They are helped with homework, fed dinner, then led in “broadening activities” during the evening. The youths often stay at the chapel until 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday each week.
A similar “Freedom School” program is offered during the day through the summer.
“Ninety-two percent of these youths qualify for free lunch and breakfast at school,” Ellison said. “They get nutrition for breakfast and lunch, but probably not dinner time.
“If we’re not giving them a nutritious hot dinner, they are probably not going to get it,” he added.
Ellison said he approached Mollohan last fall, saying “it couldn’t have been the intention of Congress” to not want to provide dinners for at-risk teenagers.
“Good nutrition is a critical building block in a child’s healthy physical and intellectual development,” Mollohan said in a news release. “The Child and Adult Care Food Program is one of the federal government’s most successful tools in the fight against chronic hunger and malnutrition. My language will increase the program’s impact in West Virginia by making sure that recreation centers, schools, nonprofits and day care centers offering after-school activities to at-risk youth can also offer a healthy and nourishing supper.
“Qualified organizations currently provide approximately 45,000 after-school snacks per month in West Virginia. It is my hope that this new subsidy will also spur additional organizations in West Virginia to sponsor after-school programs,” he added.