Spring Break
Facing food deadlines
The Daily Barometer Editorial Board
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: Forum
Last week, The Daily Barometer ran a story addressing food insecurity. It seems that this issue is frequently on our minds, and it is an important one.
When we were in high school, our teachers told us to get a solid meal before taking a test. We were told that eggs, meat - protein in general - were key to our brain function and success.
Ramen noodles, cans of (overpriced) tuna and peanut butter are the staples of the college diet.
For those living on campus, it's not as apparent. You can swipe your food card and think about the cost later. For those of us who commute to campus, ride our bikes or walk across the street from The Gem, it may not be so easy.
The Barometer has spent a lot of words, in the form of editorials, columns and news stories, on how to stretch a buck when it comes to food. We continue to stress that whole foods, bulk bins and WinCo are your friends.
Oregon has the third-highest hunger rate in the nation, according to The Oregonian.
It seems that this issue has reached epic proportions. According to the article by reporter Aleks Cherednichenko, one in six Oregonians is on food stamps.
Almost 17 percent of our population does not earn enough money to afford food, according to the government.
Students, especially those who rely on federal or state grants, are particularly susceptible to the fluctuations of economy and budgets.
At one point, ASOSU provided a free student lunch program. Currently, our student fee dollars provide for a program called MealBux.
I think we can argue that it's not enough.
Food insecurity is a stressor for all students. How can students do well on a test when they aren't sure where their next meal is coming from?
How can students think clearly when they can't afford the type of quality protein that their bodies need?
Not eating, or eating only once a day, is not healthy for you.
Sometimes, talking about government assistance can be a touchy topic. Frequently, there is a stigma attached to being on food stamps or welfare.
Applications for food stamps are available online at http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/assistance/foodstamps/foodstamps.shtml
If you are a freshman living on campus or a faculty/staff member who knows a student who may not being getting the food he or she needs, then point him or her toward that site.
You can be a 4.0 student who works two jobs and still not be able to make ends meet.
Don't be too proud to get the help you need. Food is important.
Editorials serve as a means for Daily Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
When we were in high school, our teachers told us to get a solid meal before taking a test. We were told that eggs, meat - protein in general - were key to our brain function and success.
Ramen noodles, cans of (overpriced) tuna and peanut butter are the staples of the college diet.
For those living on campus, it's not as apparent. You can swipe your food card and think about the cost later. For those of us who commute to campus, ride our bikes or walk across the street from The Gem, it may not be so easy.
The Barometer has spent a lot of words, in the form of editorials, columns and news stories, on how to stretch a buck when it comes to food. We continue to stress that whole foods, bulk bins and WinCo are your friends.
Oregon has the third-highest hunger rate in the nation, according to The Oregonian.
It seems that this issue has reached epic proportions. According to the article by reporter Aleks Cherednichenko, one in six Oregonians is on food stamps.
Almost 17 percent of our population does not earn enough money to afford food, according to the government.
Students, especially those who rely on federal or state grants, are particularly susceptible to the fluctuations of economy and budgets.
At one point, ASOSU provided a free student lunch program. Currently, our student fee dollars provide for a program called MealBux.
I think we can argue that it's not enough.
Food insecurity is a stressor for all students. How can students do well on a test when they aren't sure where their next meal is coming from?
How can students think clearly when they can't afford the type of quality protein that their bodies need?
Not eating, or eating only once a day, is not healthy for you.
Sometimes, talking about government assistance can be a touchy topic. Frequently, there is a stigma attached to being on food stamps or welfare.
Applications for food stamps are available online at http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/assistance/foodstamps/foodstamps.shtml
If you are a freshman living on campus or a faculty/staff member who knows a student who may not being getting the food he or she needs, then point him or her toward that site.
You can be a 4.0 student who works two jobs and still not be able to make ends meet.
Don't be too proud to get the help you need. Food is important.
Editorials serve as a means for Daily Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
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