To the Editor:
When a child can’t focus at school because they didn’t have dinner the night before or breakfast that morning, it isn’t always clear that hunger is driving their distraction – but it is oftentimes the culprit.
The Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) works to end hunger in our community by serving our neighbors who experience food insecurity.
While the LCFB strives to end hunger in our area, we can’t fill the need without programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps).
The timely, targeted and temporary benefits that SNAP provides to struggling families are essential to waging the fight against food insecurity.
SNAP assists families as they get on their feet, get back to work, and get out of poverty; however, this important program is in jeopardy.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a Budget Resolution this week that proposes $150 billion in cuts to SNAP and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which currently helps more than 9 million kids get school meals they need to grow up healthy, educated and strong.
To help ensure that those in our community who experience hunger can put food on the table, it is essential that Congress supports full funding of SNAP. We must urge our lawmakers in Congress to stand up for children by protecting the programs that help them get the food they need.
Pat Walker
CEO and President,
Lowcountry Food Bank
Charleston
To the Editor:
I dream of the way our country used to be, when policemen were respected and were able to sit in their cars or write a traffic summons without being killed.
When students went to college to learn. When students allowed a guest speaker to speak even though they didn’t agree with them.
When individuals would protest without burning looting and damage businesses and cars. When professional athletes would stand and honor our flag, national anthem and country. When a retiring president would retire gracefully and not organize secret organizations to resist the incoming president.
When political parties worked together for the betterment of our country. When Republicans supported their president. When the Hollywood elite respected our president.
We are becoming a third world country and to stop this rapid decent, we should bring back the draft for everyone and not exempt students, athletes or the well connected.
I was 21 when I was drafted and was just starting in my business career and was devastated. However looking back, I’m not sorry I served.
The military teaches you respect, how to survive, independence, humility, how to lead and above all to be proud of your flag and country. During basic training at Ft. Dix at 5 p.m., they played taps to retire our flag for the day and all military personnel outdoors had to stop what they were doing and salute our flag.
It was an honor then as it is now.
Vince Sgroi
Bluffton
