In Bristol Township, 14% of children are at risk of going hungry. What's being done to help

United Way of Bucks County
·3 min read
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Nearly 14% of Bristol Township School District students report being afraid of running out of food.

That’s according to data from the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), an every-other-year survey conducted with sixth-, eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students. Originally designed to identify substance use trends among teens, the survey has expanded to include other barriers to learning, like mental health issues, school safety, and food insecurity.

This marks the first time a Bucks County school district has named food insecurity as a priority in response to biennial PAYS data.

District efforts will be supported by the Bristol Cares Coalition. The coalition is headed by No Longer Bound, a Bristol Township-based nonprofit that provides both substance abuse prevention services, as well as a food pantry for local families experiencing food insecurity.

Talia Santiago with Penn Community Bank pours the grain part of a food package during the BKO event at Delaware Valley University on June 22, 2018. After a two-year hiatus, the United Way of Bucks County's in-person food packing event returns June 17, at the Neshaminy Mall.
Talia Santiago with Penn Community Bank pours the grain part of a food package during the BKO event at Delaware Valley University on June 22, 2018. After a two-year hiatus, the United Way of Bucks County's in-person food packing event returns June 17, at the Neshaminy Mall.

The coalition also includes school officials, nonprofits, community volunteers, faith leaders, and law enforcement.

Damita Harris, Bristol Cares Coalition coordinator and prevention manager at No Longer Bound, is glad the district has decided to address food insecurity.

“How can we expect students to concentrate on their studies if they’re hungry?” she said. “Bristol Cares and the district are looking for ways to make students and their parents more aware of community resources that can help.”

Children who don’t get enough to eat — especially during their early development — begin life at a serious disadvantage. They are more likely to be hospitalized and face higher risks of health conditions like anemia and asthma.

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Students who experience food insecurity are more likely to fail a grade in school, to have developmental impairments in language and motor skills, and are more likely to have social and behavioral problems.

In addition to potential health concerns, older children and teens report that food insecurity inflicts social-emotional damage.

A recent study by Feeding America and the Urban Institute confirmed that teens acutely fear stigma associated with food insecurity and actively hide it as much as they can. This makes is harder for schools and nonprofit organizations to intervene.

Chris Polzer, director of School Administration for Bristol Township School District said, “We’re working with Bristol Cares to get a better perspective on the population’s needs. We also want to identify what resources already exist, so we don’t duplicate them.” After that, they will consider the best ways to distribute resources.

One program that has been helping address hunger and food insecurity in Bristol Township for the past 10 years is Bucks Knocks Out Hunger.

United Way’s Bucks Knocks Out Hunger campaign provides extra support to food pantries across the county, including several within the footprint of Bristol Township School District.

Through the HELP Center, United Way and partners at Bucks County Opportunity Council — Bucks County’s lead food agency — provide additional food support for families and organizations facing food insecurity.

United Way’s Bucks Knocks Out Hunger campaign is underway and will culminate with a meal-packing event on June 17th at Neshaminy Mall. Through the campaign, the organization hopes to pack 100,000 shelf-stable, nutrient rich meals and raise $110,000 to support local food relief programs.

Individual donations can be made online at www.uwbucks.org/bkohunger or by mailing a check to United Way of Bucks County at 413 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills, PA 19030. Please write BKO Hunger in the memo line.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bristol Township schools, community group fighting childhood hunger