Summer meals program for kids merits support

Happily, it appears neither bipartisanship nor humanitarianism is dead. They've just been consigned to committee.

A little-noticed piece of legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate a couple of weeks ago -- little noticed because the subject didn't push any sensitive political hot buttons (more's the pity); and because there's always the possibility it will die of neglect.

Let's hope not. Because the Hunger-Free Summer for Kids Act is potentially an important piece of legislation for some of our neediest children.

Co-sponsored by three Senate Democrats and three Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the bill would give states new ways to get food to poor children during summer months when school is out.

The bill is an amendment to a 40-year-old summer meals program. Due to demographic changes and population shifts over the years since its passage, the program now reaches fewer than one-fifth of the approximately 22 million American children who get free or reduced-price school meals and are thus eligible for the summer assistance.

This legislation would provide for means to deliver meals to children in hard-to-reach rural areas, or offer meals that children could pick up at a site and take home for later, or summer grocery store credits for low-income families.

Billy Shore, CEO of the nonprofit Share Our Strength, said the ripple benefits of such a program could be enormous: "Ending summer hunger for this many children would have a massive impact on issues like avoidable healthcare costs, graduation rates and future economic competitiveness."

With summer coming to an end, the bill has been sent to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee for consideration. Let's hope there's a consensus, as bipartisan as the bill's sponsorship, that 22 million needy children are a compelling argument against letting this bill languish in legislative limbo.

Not buying it

The Atlanta Falcons' new stadium is expected to earn the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designation. The Hawks' Philips Arena already boasts that distinction, though the Hawks are making noises about wanting new digs like the Falcons and Braves.

Sorry to burst the Atlanta pro sports establishment's "green" bubble, but Tim Kellison of the University of Florida Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management told WABE-TV in Atlanta that "the greenest thing you can do for a stadium is keep it up and keep it running as long as you possibly can."

So tearing down sports venues after less than 20 years to build new ones isn't exactly on the Sierra Club agenda. Shocker.

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Summer meals program for kids merits support."