I remember begging my parents for lunch assistance because I hated being hungry all day. This was something I had to go through most days of my early life. I got huge lectures on handouts and how we have to earn everything we get. I was fucking 7-15 years old! I had no ability to earn it. And while I know they wanted to do it themselves they just couldn't - I do believe they really worked hard to make ends meet but they just couldn't. Then my sister learned she could go into the negative and get a school lunch and started racking up a small bill. As soon as she reached the limit they called my parents to pay the bill. She was grounded for like a month. She was punished for not having enough to eat to get through the day. And looking back it was just so fucked up. I knew we qualified because my parents loved to brag that we did and weren't taking the help. I still wonder how it is the school never got involved.

I still remember my best friend who was on the free lunch program and got other assistance through the school for coming from a lot income home. She went to all the dances and was in band and played all the sports. Like kids should. And here I was with nothing but some sort of pride we didn't take assistance. It made me a very very bitter person for a very long time. I have no idea where my friend is today. I was kind of mean to her towards high school and we stopped talking. I am too embarrassed to look her up.

This is why you support government assistance and don't shame those who take it! Especially if there are kids involved. Yeah, there might be some people taking advantage. But is doing this to a family really better? Is teaching kids not to take from the government so much better than keeping them from having a great childhood? We are so focused on what the adults are doing and looking good to other adults while kids are growing up with bad grades and getting into crime and then people seriously scratch their heads wondering why. Asshats.