the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
January 19, 2026
Holidays are supposed to be happy days, especially for children. But it’s not true for thousands of children living in Orange County, California, a recent survey found. Since children from low-income families heavily rely on their schools for meals, for them holidays mean more days of going hungry.
One out of five youths (from elementary school age to 24) surveyed, who come from families of various stages of homelessness, said they don’t get meals regularly. Not getting enough food not only hampers these children’s development; it also causes severe stress. Of those surveyed in Orange County, one out of three said they have mental problems.
From there, it’s a slippery slope. When hungry and emotionally vulnerable, children more easily fall prey to human traffickers who, in exchange for food, push the children into forced labor and prostitution, and often abuse them physically as well.
It’s not just California, of course. The results of the Orange County survey mirror the dire food situation that tens of millions of working-class families across the U.S. have been facing. Many of these families have members who have jobs—but they still can’t afford the cost of housing, food, and all the other necessities.
Capitalism puts profit first. It continues to destroy working class youth to feed the enormous profits of the wealthiest.