Hungry kids can't continue to wait

Hungry kids can't continue to wait

The restaurant is my office. I get to be around people that are enthusiastic about the food we create and the guests that get to enjoy it. I love food and the fact that I get to spend my work day being inspired by it is a privilege. In addition to my passion for food, ending childhood hunger is important to me.

On July 18, I will host a fundraiser for Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign, which is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting kids to the healthy food they need, every day. And just like one night can make or break my business, one important meal can make all the difference in a child's life.

This is especially true in the summertime. When the school year ends, kids no longer have access to school meals. Families who are struggling to put enough food on the table are forced to choose between buying groceries and paying the electricity bill. And, for the 1 in 5 kids who live in a family that struggles with hunger, this can mean weeks of missed meals and stress.

It doesn't have to be this way. We can fix this.

The national summer meals program helps kids get the healthy food they need when school is out. These meals are available to kids across the country, but the program has trouble reaching too many of the kids who need it, especially in rural areas.

Congress has the opportunity to improve the way we feed kids in the summer. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) has been a strong champion for children on this issue. Now it's time for Congress as a whole to stand up for kids and pass strong, bipartisan legislation that improves the summer meals program. When the kids in our state get the healthy food they need, they grow up smarter, healthier and stronger. That's good for them, and that's good for Arkansas.

Everyone has an important role to play in the fight to end childhood hunger in this country. Visit NoKidHungry.org and help urge Congress to pass critical legislation so every kid can get the healthy food they need all year long. Together, we can make No Kid Hungry a reality.

Matt McClure

executive chef

The Hive

Bentonville

Doubling library size is too much

I would like to add my two cents to the expanded library debate. I am a frequent visitor to the Fayetteville Public Library and appreciate the wonderful facilities we have, and feel it is a great credit to our city. However, doubling the size of the library? You must be kidding.

I can see some areas where expansion is needed, but I would be more inclined to vote for a more modest increase in size with a much smaller price tag.

So many of the things being added are just ridiculous. Do we really need a place for children's birthday parties? I do not see much use of an expanded genealogy section as so much of the material is available online. A roof garden? And a while back our teen section was enlarged and I haven't seen an over-abundance of teens using it.

I can just imagine the increase in staff (not to mention the number of volunteers) that will be needed for the new facilities. It all sounds very lovely, but I hardly think it is worth a 3.7-mill increase for the people of Fayetteville.

Unfortunately, because of the odd timing of the election, I am afraid most people will not bother to vote -- except for the dedicated backers of the project. Why no vocal opposition?

Joan Wimberly

Fayetteville