No child should have to worry about where his or her next meal will come.

That’s why Fairland Local Schools has joined the growing number of schools and organizations that are starting food pantries.

Some students’ only solid and reliable meal is one that comes from a school cafeteria. Unfortunately, that still leaves children hungry on the weekends, holidays and summer breaks.

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates more than 16 million children don’t know where their next meal will come from — that’s one in 4 children.

It’s no myth that hunger impacts children’s ability to learn. Hungry children have a much harder time concentrating during class, which in turn leads to lower grades.

Children with low grades can fall behind their classmates and miss out on a multitude of educational opportunities. Hunger can also cause behavioral problems and a lack of overall energy.

It’s simply not fair for a child to take focus away from his or her education to worry about how to get a meal.

That’s why it is more important than ever to support the food pantries and organizations in Lawrence County and throughout the Tri-State. Keeping those shelves stocked makes all the difference in the lives of children who just need a little help to succeed.