An elementary school custodian in Tennessee has been making breakfast for kids suffering from food insecurity for nearly two decades.
Walter Thomas, a custodian at East Lake Academy of Fine Arts in Chattanooga, Tennessee, makes breakfast for staff and kids in the staff breakroom, reports WTVC. The feeding of the kids is especially significant because the area surrounding the school is a food desert, meaning that many kids lack the healthy food options at home that they need to grow and prosper.
Thomas makes it a point to ask students if they've had any food that day or if they're hungry. Principal Lakesha Carson said Thomas loves feeding the kids and seeing the smile the food brings to the faces of the children.
According to the East Lake Academy of the Arts website, the school offers more than breakfast. Student meals are available to be picked up on Wednesdays. Parents whose children aren't getting enough food are encouraged to text a phone number with the student's name and grade.
For more information on the causes and effects of food insecurity, visit Feeding America's website here.