Increasing participation in the federal school breakfast program
A student's day starts with breakfast
Children learn best when they start their day with breakfast. But right now, only half of all students who need school breakfast (low-income students who rely on free school lunch) are receiving it. When kids consistently start their school day with a nutrition meal, they have significantly less absences, improved grades, are half as likely to repeat a grade, and ultimately have better chances of graduating from high school. School breakfast is the first step to giving low-income children an equal chance to thrive.
Project Bread is taking hunger out of the equation by working with schools across the state to improve or start a school breakfast program. Our goal is for every student in Massachusetts to start their day with a healthy meal and reach their full potential. For many students, that chance starts with school breakfast.
Our Approach
For more than twenty years, Project Bread has teamed up with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education through our Child Nutrition Outreach Program to work hand-in-hand with schools across the state to serve up their best breakfast program for their students.
- Getting schools started. Getting schools started. A lot goes into starting a new program, and serving breakfast is no exception. Busing schedules, cafeteria equipment, staffing, finances, logistics, complying with regulations…it can be hard to know where to start. Project Bread helps schools every step of the way.
- Reaching more students. Serving breakfast after the bell has proven to increase student participation in school breakfast by up to 85%. Project Bread helps school evaluate and improve their existing programs
- Tools for success. Healthy recipes, suggested menu plans, resources for teachers, and handbooks for parents and administrators. Project Bread provides all the stakeholders with the resources needed for a successful program.
- A champion for hungry kids. Public policies impact hungry kids across the state. Project Bread advocates for state and federal policies that give every child the opportunity for a healthy start to the day.
Impact of our work: 2017
- 16 schools worked with Project Bread to start or improve their breakfast program
- 13,141 more low-income students ate breakfast each day in Massachusetts
- $5.3 million increase in federal reimbursements received by these schools as a result of higher participation in their breakfast programs
For communities seeking to expand their school breakfast program, resource are availble at www.meals4kids.org/breakfast.
