I am a mother, grandmother, former single mom and suicide hotline counselor. I offer you my personal perspective on backpack food programs.

School children are identified as possibly needing help over the weekend with nourishment. While I do not take issue with families being provided food, I have great concern when a child is burdened with the responsibility of taking food home.

It is the moral obligation of a parent to provide nourishment for their child; a failure to do so is called child neglect. Additionally, placing that basic parental responsibility on a child can have a negative, emotional, long-lasting effect on them.

We have services and organizations specifically designed to help families in need. In my opinion, these should not be bypassed and have any of the core duties of a parent placed, literally and figuratively, on the shoulders of a child.