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By Joel Erickson, for the Tribune

Food insecurity means very simply that food availability is intermittent, not predictable. And where this occurs in families, children with their stomachs growling are not sure food will be available.  

The causes of food insecurity are not simple to summarize, but no food in the kitchen is not difficult to determine. Therefore, with empty cupboards at home, it is not surprising if children arrive at school showing signs of hunger. Teachers are known to keep stashes of food in the classroom, and if they witness a child wilting from hunger, out comes a snack.

Amy Brouwers, social worker at Halverson Elementary School, said food insecurity can be found when a parent has a medical crisis and can’t work, so the two-income household reduces to one. Bills pile up, and there is no money for gas. Then Friday comes with no money available until Monday or Tuesday. 

Also a vehicle in need of repair prevents a parent from getting to work, and of course with no work comes a reduced paycheck. 

Divorce or separation cuts into the income from another angle.  

Mental illness factors in as well with the lack of access to a provider and to the needed prescriptions caused by poor or no insurance. Often what contributes to mental illness is adults having suffered from trauma themselves during childhood. It is a challenge to break the cycle of mental trauma. 

The need and cost for child care exacerbates the situation even further for young families. The cost of child care significantly cuts into the family budget.

What further complicates the situation is no extended family support. But in spite of all this, Brouwers is proud of the mothers who have the gumption and ingenuity to navigate the above-mentioned debilitating variables. She described them as superheroes. And of course, the mothers are grateful for the support received. 

According to the Albert Lea school district, 62.3% of the students in the district are on free and reduced lunches. The state average for schools in Minnesota is 43.4%.

It is difficult for parents to ask for help, according to Brouwers, but if they are against the wall with no options available, their kids bringing home food for the weekend can relieve some pressure.  

The food for backpack program instituted a few years back by local churches means elementary students go home on Fridays with a Ziplock bag of food in their backpacks, providing two meals for the weekend. If there is little or no food in the cupboards, this gets the students through the weekend. Each week, 564 bags of food go home in the student backpacks. Brouwers recognizes this is a stop-gap measure, yet it is nonetheless significant.

According to Poverty USA, “Many low-income households spend over a quarter of their income on food, whereas middle and high-income households spend more money, but still a smaller percentage of their income, on food.” Poverty USA is an initiative of Catholic Campaign for Human Development and was created as an educational resource to help individuals and communities to address the root causes of poverty in America. 

“Considering that food-insecure households spend upwards of 27% of their income on food, it makes budgeting and prioritizing other expenses painfully difficult,” the organization states. “When budgeting the cost of food in the face of other necessary expenses like housing, energy and health care, it creates an impossible balancing act: to choose between staying in your apartment, eating or taking necessary medications.”

Brouwers recalls the challenges she faced while getting her master’s degree in social work as a single parent. For a time she relied on food stamps to make it through each week. And she remembers it not being easy going through the screening process just to get the help.  She said she remembers being treated like a number rather than as a human being.

Brouwers believes the families are in one way or another persevering. Many individuals over the years have provided great support. 

She recalls the compassionate work of Judy Olson, who passed away a few years back, who over many years found ways to bring support to children whose families were struggling. 

Groups and individuals are finding ways to fill the gaps in helping families navigate through the many challenges of food insecurity.