Sad reality of the kids with empty lunch boxes

FRIDAY, NOV. 25: Children are going to school with empty lunch boxes as families struggle to make ends meet.

More and more youngsters are relying on free handouts to fill their stomachs.

The Coalition for the Protection of Children says demand for its Breakfast For Every Child programme has soared — it has served 50,000 meals to children this school year alone. The numbers spike at the end of the month as parents wait to receive their pay cheques.

Valerie Williams, principal at Victor Scott, told us: “We have seen an increase in the number of children coming in without lunches. Some bring empty lunch boxes while others bring in just a snack bar or something like that. It is a real phenomenon.”

The Coalition’s Sheelagh Cooper told the Bermuda Sun: “These are hard times for many families.

“We often have queues going down the road when I arrive at our offices in the morning of women waiting to pick up basic food provisions from our stores.

“The breakfast in schools programme has proved very successful since we started it a few years ago.

“But we have also noticed some worrying trends.

“Some children are going to school with empty lunch boxes because their parents don’t have enough money to buy the food but also they don’t want to be seen as not giving them packed lunches.

“The programme always seems to attract the biggest numbers at the end of the month when families are waiting to be paid.

“The winter is a tough time for families as many have to invest in new uniforms and for some this means they can’t always afford proper packed lunches.”

The breakfast in schools programme is currently being run in five schools including Victor Scott Primary School in Pembroke.

Valerie Williams said some families found it difficult to provide their children with breakfast and lunch.

 “Families will call us and tell us they are struggling and we will do what we can to support them.

“More children require lunches now, more parents require assistance and there are more parents unemployed.

“But our children are truly blessed as they can get their get breakfasts from the Coalition, fruit from Sun Life and lunch bags from the First Church of God.”