According to a report just released by Save the Children, kids who didn’t have enough to eat before the coronavirus pandemic are struggling with even more food insecurity now. Yolanda Minor is with the organization. She says Black and Hispanic families are twice as likely as white ones not to have enough food to eat.
“So when the schools shut down that really impacted families because that was the only place these children were getting a sustainable meal was at school. That took away breakfast and lunch,” said Minor.
The report also looks at remote learning during the pandemic and the difficulty families have in paying bills. The study shows 15 percent of children in Mississippi don't have what they need to study remotely. Minor says poor children and those in rural areas have experienced 11 to 12 months of learning loss.
“Why? Because of the resources. Why? Because a lot of families lack internet. They lack having the ability or technology to even log on to school. So this is just pushing them further and further behind,” said Minor.
Minor says it will take massive investments by federal and state governments to help children catch up educationally. The report also found 55 percent of Mississippi households can’t pay their bills, making the recovery from the pandemic even more challenging for families with children.
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