At one point or another in our lives, we all need some type of help. Whether the help is caring for a loved one, a ride to school or ballgame, a coat or even a meal.

And it is no secret that needing assistance is especially true relating to the youth hunger issue we face in Lawrence County.

For many, the only meals a child may get are breakfast and lunch through their respective school. And it is wonderful that many of our school districts have been able to receive grants and funding to provide free breakfast and lunch to their entire school district.

However, another factor creeps in, and that is what does a child do after they leave school for the day, the weekend or the summer.

Many wonderful programs are available, and added to those are the Child and Adult Food Care Programs through the Children’s Hunger Alliance.

The goal of this program is to help or fill the void left by other programs.

According to the United States Census Bureau and the Ohio Development Services Agency, Lawrence County and Appalachian, Ohio have a 21.0 percent and 17.8 percent poverty level respectively. The rest of Ohio has a 15.5 percent poverty level.

We commend the efforts of each of these organizations who are working to help those in need and make a difference for others.

This has been a long-standing issue for us in Lawrence County, but banding together can help alleviate some of those burdens so many face each day.