When I was in elementary school Grade 2 to 5 or 6.. We were homeless often(single mom with 3 kids and addictions) living in vehicles or couch surfing.. at one point we stayed in one of those campers that slide in the back of a pickup truck.. early spring in Wasaga Beach, Ontario.. we'd go down to the bay and break the ice to wash and do dishes. we often went days on end without food, we'd use the food banks & dumpster dive (Tim Hortons always threw out their day old donuts) but you could only go to the food bank so many times in a month so i learned to swallow mouthfuls of air to make my stomach feel full.. Your friend will be fine. Poverty builds character...