Contact: Johanna Elsemore at 202.478.6554 or jelsemore@strength.org
Washington, DC – The national anti-hunger campaign No Kid Hungry has announced six winners of its 2020 School Breakfast Hero contest. This year’s inspiring line up of champions come from all walks of life, proof that ending childhood hunger takes all of us. Whether they spend their days speaking on the statehouse floor, preparing gourmet cakes and pies or serving up healthy school meals – each is using a unique talent to make sure kids start the day with a healthy meal.
Breakfast is an energy source for kids, but 1 in 7 kids in America lives with hunger and may start the school day on an empty stomach. 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. School breakfast is a critical way to end childhood hunger. No Kid Hungry’s School Breakfast Hero award celebrates individuals who are helping to ensure all kids in America are powered by breakfast by using their voices to build awareness, enact smart policies, raise critical funds and implement breakfast after the bell programs in schools.
Among this year’s breakfast heroes are three state legislators who are dedicated champions for expanding access to school breakfast in Massachusetts. Led by Senator Sal DiDomenico in the Massachusetts Senate and Representatives Aaron Vega and Andy Vargas in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, breakfast after the bell legislation recently passed unanimously in both chambers of the Massachusetts State Legislature. Once enacted, this legislation will increase access to school breakfast to over 150,000 low-income students across the commonwealth by making it a part of the school day.
“Smart legislation is one of the most effective ways to increase participation in school breakfast programs,” said Bernadette Downey, Share Our Strength’s associate director, government relations and advocacy. “Once this legislation is enacted, thousands more kids in Massachusetts will get the nutrition they need to reach their full potential – thanks to the strong leadership of these three breakfast heroes.”
No Kid Hungry is an active member of Rise and Shine Massachusetts, a statewide coalition of over fifty hunger-relief and education organizations advocating for state legislation that increases equitable access and participation in school breakfast.
Accessing traditional cafeteria breakfast service can be challenging for many kids due to transportation delays, stigma and other barriers. Breakfast after the bell allows students to get breakfast after the school day starts in the classroom or from grab and go carts. This makes breakfast convenient and accessible to students, resulting in more kids starting the day ready to learn.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But 1 in 7 kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org