Students join in the fight against hunger among children, homeless

Sandwich 3

Come out and join Hamilton Middle School and the Rice University Coalition on Hunger and Homelessness this Sunday, Dec. 5 for the school’s second annual Fall Sandwiches for All. The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Hamilton, 139 East 20th Street.

Hamilton is the only HISD middle school to partner with the Rice University Coalition on Hunger and Homelessness to develop a program that specifically focuses on ways to feed children in Harris County, where 25.5 percent of youngsters live in food-insecure households.

The program with Rice has included three workshops on social entrepreneurship led by the Rice Coalition founder Ahmed Haque. The students have learned how food insecurity is linked to poor performance in school, reduced attention in class, behavioral issues, increased school absences, a higher risk of obesity, and more suicidal or depressive tendencies among children.

They’re also aware that even when help exists, families don’t always receive assistance. Less than half of all eligible families in Harris County receive the supplementary food assistance they need, coalition data shows.