One in 5 NC kids is struggling with hunger. This is what Congress must do.

Welcome to NC Voices, where leaders, readers and experts from across North Carolina can speak on issues affecting our communities. Send submissions of 350 words or fewer to opinion@charlotteobserver.com.

To keep NC kids fed, Congress must grant these waivers

The writer is School Outreach Educator for No Kid Hungry NC.

For two years, the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the stability of families throughout North Carolina. One in 5 N.C. kids are struggling with hunger.

School and community meals have been a lifeline. Meal providers, including school nutrition staff and local community groups, have worked to feed them without missing a beat. Thanks to flexibility provided by USDA waivers programs have been able to adapt and reach kids when they’ve needed food most.

Without Congressional action these waivers will expire June 30, leaving kids, schools and community groups in a vulnerable position. The waivers did important things, such as allowing meals to be served outside of traditional group settings and letting parents pick up multiple meals at once.

“We have been able to serve meals using school buses and our box truck to deliver meals to households during the summer months. And the higher reimbursement rate allowed us to address the rise in food costs to our program,” said Edgecombe County Schools’ Director of School Nutrition Services, Ruth McDowell.

In Cumberland County, Executive Director of Child Nutrition Services C. Beth Maynard said USDA waivers have proven invaluable in “providing us the flexibility needed to get the job done in the face of severe supply chain issues.”

Schools and community groups are now trying to plan for summer and the 2022-23 school year. As they try to create budgets, place food orders, and coordinate and train staff they don’t know if they’ll be operating under the current waivers.

Authorizing the USDA to extend nationwide nutrition waivers would allow schools to respond to challenges in real time, helping them budget and plan more effectively. It would ensure thousands of kids across N.C. continue to get the nutritious meals they need.

Congress must act now to authorize USDA to grant nationwide child nutrition waivers as needed through the 2022-23 school year.

Helen Roberts, Raleigh

Senate’s decision on abortion bill failed women

On Feb. 28, Republicans in the U.S. Senate unsurprisingly struck down the Women’s Health Protection Act. The U.S. House had passed the bill, which would have preserved access to abortion nationwide.

So now, Congress — the body of officials meant to serve as a voice of the people within the federal government — has refused to protect the right of an individual to control their own body. Instead of serving the needs of constituents and working towards progress, politicians opposed to abortion insist on going backwards.

“First in Freedom’‘ is posted on many license plates across my home state of North Carolina. N.C. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act. Instead of advancing freedom, they have voted to take it away.

How is one’s body being controlled by the government consistent with these ideals in any way? How is it democratic to take away the right to make important healthcare decisions that could impact someone’s entire future?

A patient’s health, not a politician’s beliefs — and certainly not the beliefs of complete strangers — should drive important medical decisions.

This decision was made in a single vote in one short moment, but its impacts will be felt for years to come. Some members in the House and Senate voted against protecting the right to an abortion, and in doing so, voted against freedom.

They voted against the futures of young adults in high school and college. They have voted to force pregnant teens to endure giving birth. They have voted for back-alley abortions and the deaths that will result from them.

This decision is a direct contrast from the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and is not in any way acceptable. This is not democracy.

This decision affects all of us. And with the Supreme Court about to consider a case that could gut Roe v. Wade, it’s high time for North Carolina to ensure that abortion is accessible for our residents and for those who will look to our state for the care they need.

Sarah Clements, Chapel Hill