Food stamp program failing the children

This summer at 980 locations across Missouri, nearly 30,000 low income children will receive free lunches provided by taxpayers.

This year's free summer lunches mark an expansion of the program across Missouri with most of the meals provided in the urban areas.

No one disagrees with a program that provides nutritious meals (although I assure you, having read the menus at some of these sites, many of the meals would fall far short of the "green" food recommended by the First Lady).

And there is no disagreement that these children will benefit from the free lunches in countless ways.

But if that many children are in need of additional meal support, does that not point to a tragic shortfall in the food stamp program?

Since nearly 80 percent of the Agriculture Department annual budget goes to food stamp recipients, it would seem likely that those billions of dollars would provide sufficient funding to provide meals for the kids.

But with literally millions of youngsters enrolled in the free summer lunch program, apparently the food stamp model is flawed.

One of two things should happen.

Either our federal government should review the food stamp program and even expand it if families cannot provide adequate nutrition, or a review should be undertaken to examine exactly why some families cannot stretch the food stamp dollar to feed their family.

Combined with private sector charities that also provide free meals, it would seem logical to think that the children in this country have adequate resources to receive appropriate meals.

But the reality simply defies the logic and math that goes into the food stamp program.

One way to address this shortfall is to clamp down on abuses in the food stamp program.

But we'll never touch that subject under this administration.

Having worked with charitable programs that provide food for families for over 30 years, I can tell you firsthand of the obvious patterns of charity.

First and foremost, those who seek additional food assistance are the same families year in and year out.

That is the most striking and obvious issue you witness when working within the charitable culture.

So is the problem inadequate funding or a lack of responsibility on the part of the recipients?

Do we simply not fund the food stamp program at an adequate level or are some parents making dismal choices and find themselves unable to feed their families?

Are food stamps used with the children in mind or are they traded for other commodities that have nothing to do with feeding children?

Until we know the facts, we'll get nowhere.

I want no child - no child - to face a lack of food. And, like many of you, I will work tirelessly to assure that children are fed.

But someone needs to examine this massively expensive food stamp program and answer these essential questions.