One teacher took action after realising that a young pupil didn’t have enough food at home.
Brooke Goins from Jacksboro, United States, told the story on Facebook, where she wrote ‘Today I cried at work. Not because I hate my job, or that it is just too hard (it really is). Today I cried for a child, a child who so innocently talked about food, and the lack of it.’
She explained that the young boy had asked her when ‘the lady that puts food in his backpack was coming’.
Since Brooke wasn’t sure what this meant, because he was referring to the school’s guidance councilor and she wasn’t sure when she’d be in, he then revealed that he was out of food at home.
Brooke explained ‘Of course I asked what was in the bag that he liked so much. I asked if it was the macaroni bowls or the crackers, he said no. I asked if it was the spaghetti o’s, he laughed and told me no that they didn’t have those.’
READ MORE: The cost of sending your children back to school has sky-rocketed to this HUGE number
She added, ‘Then it happened... he looked at me and said, “those little o’s (as he made a small circle with his hand), we don’t have those at my house, but when I do have them they give me a warm belly and help me sleep.” I lost it, I cried in front of 20 little people. No kid should ever be hungry, ever.’
https://www.facebook.com/brooke.goins/posts/10212054268151202
Knowing that the child was hungry, she then sprang into action and texted a group chat with other teachers in, and they all chipped in to buy him food – including the Spaghetti O’s he referred to.
Brooke ended her post by saying, ‘I did not write this for anyone to get praise, nobody did it for the praise. I want people to know that teachers are humans, we love your kids and want the very best for them. Some days we get frustrated and feel overwhelmed, but today we did what was best for a child.’
Her post has since gone viral, with people all over the world commenting and offering support for the pupil and school.
One wrote, ‘So heartbreaking to think that so many children in our country go to bed hungry. Bless you for making a difference and hopefully this idea will spread to other schools.’
Since the post, Brooke has announced that the school is starting a food pantry for pupils, where people are welcome to donate food and hygiene products for those who need them.
