ericadawn16 | Republicans Ax Free Breakfast

Now, this happened in Colorado, they had a surplus of funds for their Start Smart Nutrition Program from the good years, but now that families are having financial problems, this year's program is running out of money so they wanted to use funds from that money reserve.

The Republicans voted against it.

Starting in April, students will have to pay 30 cents or more to receive breakfast. It may not sound like much, but when a family is pinching pennies, then $1.50 a week or 3 or 4.50 depending on how many children they have...it adds up. Kids learn better with food in their stomachs and for some of these kids, they haven't eaten since the school provided lunch the day before.

Over 17.2 million children under 18 in the United States are food insecure and never know when their next meal will be...

If we truly support family values as a nation, then we have to support families no matter what size they are, religion or belief they stand by or marital status.

Make sure this doesn't happen in your community. Read a newspaper, read a website or watch the news. Get involved in the lives of students around you. Someday, those kids will be treating your heart attack, managing your bank's money and protecting your neighborhood...don't you want the best people possible to do that?

P.S. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I was a free lunch kid. I looked forward to breakfast and lunch at school because they would have fresh fruit and vegetables that my mom couldn't afford that often. It makes a difference.