Last summer three little girls were seen almost every day getting a free lunch at the Kids Feed N Fun Program in Memorial Park. The 11-year-old with her two younger sisters in tow would make sure that they were at the front of the line.

They would take their sack lunches and hurry back to where their mom was sitting to eat them. Often they would come back to see if there were seconds, especially near the end of the month when their family's food stamps ran out. They pocketed their apples or bananas to take home to eat later. This story was reported to me by one of the Food Share volunteers who helps our agency, Rocky Mountain Development Council (RMDC) operate USDA's Summer Food Service Program. Last summer with the help of our community partners, we served 10,100 lunches to young children in low-income areas in Helena, East Helena and Augusta.

I am very concerned about the future of this program. The president's budget proposal would eliminate funding for Community Services Black Grants (CSBG). These are the funds we use to support the Kids Feed N Fun program, as USDA's reimbursement does not cover this program's costs. Without these funds, we will have to shut down the program and many children may have to forgo a nutritious lunch!

In addition, the President's budget wishes to cap or make cuts in other food and nutrition programs such as food stamps, the CACFP program that provides reimbursement for nutritious meals to day cares and Head Starts, and to the already under-funded Summer Food Service Program. Other programs targeted for reduction such as low-income energy assistance and childcare assistance put an additional strain on these families often leaving them with less money for food. This is showing up in an increase in the number of families and the frequency with which they use emergency food assistance from places like Helena Food Share.

As a nutritionist I worry about the food insecurity of families like those described above. Hungry children cannot do well in school or attain their full growth potential. The problem of food insecurity and hunger is increasing in Montana. The last census shows that almost 13 percent of Montanans frequently go without meals and have to cut back on the food they give their children.

Balancing the budget on the backs of these families is not humane. I understand that a disproportionate amount of the proposed cuts are to programs that affect low-income families. These programs are not the cause of the deficit. It doesn't make sense to me to reduce these programs when they don't even meet existing needs. What are poor families to do? How are they going to feed their children? What recourse do we give them when we reduce their benefits and yet at the same time, as a state, we are resisting increasing the minimum wage?

To help us continue to provide adequate nutrition for small children, please send a message to your congressmen to keep the CSBG funds and to oppose spending caps and reductions to other food and nutrition programs.

Mary Ellen Holverson is a registered dietitian with RMDC.