Illinois § 5

§ 5.

State policy and legislative intent. The General Assembly recognizes that hunger and food security are serious problems in the State of Illinois with as many as one million citizens being affected. These citizens have lost their sense of food security. Food insecurity occurs whenever the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways is limited or uncertain. Hunger is a painful or uneasy sensation caused by a recurrent or involuntary lack of food and is a potential, although not necessary, consequence of food insecurity. Over time, hunger may result in malnutrition. It is estimated that just under 600,000 Illinois children experience hunger or food insecurity, meaning that they either go without eating meals, or their parents or guardians cannot provide the kinds of food they need. At present, the Illinois economy is steadily experiencing a 6% unemployment rate, people are being laid off who thought they had job security, and the unemployed are remaining unemployed beyond the terms of unemployment benefits. Emergency food providers throughout the State are experiencing an increase in the number of working poor families requesting emergency food. In October 2003, Illinois was ranked 48th in the nation in providing school breakfasts to low-income children of families who meet the criteria for free and reduced-price lunches. Because low-income children are not being adequately nourished, even to the point where many are arriving at school hungry, the General Assembly believes it is in the best interest of Illinois to utilize resources available through existing child nutrition programs, to the fullest extent possible. The General Assembly also recognizes a definite correlation between adequate child nutrition and a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive development. There is also a correlation between adequate nutrition and a child's ability to perform well in school. Documented research has proven that school breakfasts improve attendance and increase a child's readiness to learn. In this regard, the General Assembly realizes the importance of the National School Breakfast Program and the Summer Food Service Program as effective measures that must be widely implemented to ensure more adequate nutrition for Illinois children. (Source: P.A. 93-1086, eff. 2-15-05.)