Today in what is the wealthiest nation in the world, one in four U.S. children live in families who qualify for food stamps.

Yet, there are some who criticize that program because, as in any large bureaucracy, there is waste — even though accounting shows that waste is minimal when compared to other large government operations.

What sort of nation would America be if it did not help those who cannot help themselves? Children are at the top of that list.

That's why another government program — free and reduced-price school lunches — has become so critical in this time of deep recession and high unemployment.

According to the latest figures from the Alabama Department of Education, an additional 22,000 Alabama children are receiving free or reduced-price school lunches this year. That's a 5.6 percent increase from a year ago.

In other words, more than 411,000 Alabama students, 56 percent of the total attending our public schools, are fed under this program.

If you want a clear indication of how people in this state are hurting, look no further.

If that's not persuasive enough, then consider this: Not only are more students receiving free or reduced-price lunches, more are buying lunches at full price, as well. At around $2 a lunch, parents trying to stretch budgets as far as they can realize this program will feed their youngsters a nutritious meal at a bargain price.

For many children, this is the best — perhaps the only — decent meal they get all day.

As with food stamps, there are critics of the free and reduced-price lunch program. Some say the reimbursement process overcompensates schools that feed students and overburdens taxpayers who pay the bills. Others claim it is another way the government subsidizes agribusiness. But these and other criticisms mean little when compared to the benefits that come from this program.

Hungry children cannot learn. Poorly fed students get sick, and sick children cost the nation far more than healthy, well-fed ones — not only in immediate costs, but in the long-range burdens they bring on the health-care system.

Free and reduced-price school lunches are one of the best investments the nation can make. We should be thankful for the farsighted leaders who installed this program.

At the same time, U.S. leaders need to do all they can to get more parents back to work so fewer children will need this assistance.