Teacher's viral Facebook post shines light on child hunger

One teacher proved with a seemingly boring photo that their job doesn't just involve lesson plans and grading tests.

Earlier this month, Katherine Gibson Howton, and Oregon teacher, shared it to Facebook along with a poignant caption:

"We are your children's teachers. We know that we may have more time with your child than you do," she began. "We don't want them to be hungry, and not just because a hungry child can't learn but because we care about them. Hungry feels scary."

The photo shows a cabinet Howton shares with a fellow teacher; it's filled with food. "Children come into our classroom everyday telling us they are hungry," she explained. "Many more never say a word because they are embarrassed and it is up to us to notice that they are distracted, tired, grumpy."

Howton says that skilled, compassionate teachers ask their students about food -- and perhaps go the extra mile to make them a meal.

See lunches appropriate for school

The page Love What Matters reposted Howton's photos, where people shared their own stories of when teachers helped them in this way.

"I will never forget the kindness of my first grade teacher," one woman commented. "I didn't have the type of parents who made sure I had breakfast and i [sic] would sit in class with a rumbling stomach most days. One day it was particularly noticeable during a quiet time, and she took me into the hallway and gave me crackers from her purse so the other kids wouldn't see. I'll never forget that."

Another commenter said she would help out teachers with this issue. "When my kids were in elementary school I would every other month buy a bigger thing of snacks and water for the teachers to store," she said. "They already buy enough for the class room why not help with the 'I forgot my snack today' cabinet."

According to The Huffington Post, over 80 percent of students at Reynolds Learning Academy -- where Howton teaches -- qualify for free or reduced lunch. Twenty percent of students experience housing instability.