RELEASE: Morrow Middle School Nutrition Manager Barbara O’Connor Named Winner of 2019 No Kid Hungry School Breakfast Hero Contest

Washington, DC – The national anti-hunger campaign No Kid Hungry has announced five winners of its 2019 Breakfast Hero contest. This year’s inspiring line up of champions includes educators and administrators from school districts across the country who have been nominated by members of their local community for going above and beyond to ensure their students are Powered By Breakfast.  

One of the five national winners is Barbara O’Connor, the nutrition manager at Morrow Middle School in Morrow, Georgia. Ms. O’Connor has gone above and beyond to reach as many students as possible with a health breakfast each morning, according to Courtney Goershel with HealthMPowers. Already this year, she has increased breakfast participation by offering students a Grab and Go option. “Ms. O’Connor involves the students in her nutrition program,” said Goershel. “She offers taste tests, provides incentives when they make a healthy choice, and uses CHOA’s Smart Serving Strategies to ensure her cafeteria is a welcoming environment.”  1 in every 5 kids in Georgia face hunger; 93% of students at Morrow Middle School are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

School breakfast is an energy source for kids across the nation. Research shows that hunger has long-term ramifications on children, including lower test scores, weaker attendance rates, and a higher risk of hospitalizations and chronic diseases. No Kid Hungry and its partners focus on school breakfast as a critical way to end childhood hunger.

Accessing traditional cafeteria breakfast service can be challenging for many kids. Breakfast after the bell provides breakfast in a way that is more convenient and accessible to students, resulting in more kids starting the day ready to learn. 

“Hungry kids can’t learn, and kids who can’t learn can’t reach their full potential,” said Lisa Davis, senior vice president of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. “Thanks to everyday heroes like the amazing folks we’re recognizing today, many more kids across the country are getting the breakfast fuel they need every day.”