Too Hungry to Think: No Kid Hungry Seeks to Close Breakfast Gap

Nonprofit takes to New York City's City Hall to advocate for increased access to school breakfast for all

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Oct 23, 2014, 12:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the 1 in 5 U.S. children struggling with hunger, skipping breakfast is more than just missing a meal, and the nation's children are too hungry to think. Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign today took a leap towards increasing access to breakfast for children in New York City, advocating on the steps of City Hall for Mayor Bill de Blasio to make the morning meal part of the school day for all children in the nation's largest school district.

Already implemented in Los Angeles and dozens of other cities across the country, breakfast in the classroom has proven to connect more kids with a nutritious morning meal, ensuring they have the nutrition they need to grow into healthy, successful adults. Although free breakfast is available to all kids in NYC schools, less than 25 percent of kids are actually eating the meal that fuels their day. Making it part of the school day would mean that an additional 825,000 kids would get breakfast every day and would overnight take NYC's school district from last place to first place in breakfasts served.

Across the country, whether it's late bus schedules, conflicting priorities, or the stigma of eating in the cafeteria before school, government-funded school breakfasts are not reaching enough children. Of the 21 million U.S. children who receive free or reduced-price lunch, only half are also receiving breakfast. The simple act of taking breakfast out of the cafeteria and into the classroom ensures more kids are eating the meal they need to learn and grow.

"The seemingly simple act of ensuring that children get school breakfast offers the potential for students to experience greater academic achievement, increased job readiness and ultimately more economic prosperity for our nation," said Billy Shore, Founder and CEO of Share Our Strength. "Stronger, better nourished kids mean a stronger America and that can start in New York City today."

In Maryland, No Kid Hungry worked with Governor Martin O'Malley to activate more than 130 schools since 2011. By starting the process of implementing breakfast in the classroom, these schools have increased participation in the School Breakfast Program by more than 10 percent, and connected an additional 30,000 children with a healthy morning meal.

In addition to challenging the nation's leaders to take breakfast out of the cafeteria and into the classroom, No Kid Hungry and national supporter Tyson Foods, are asking the American public to help close the breakfast gap by sending one million messages to U.S. leaders about the importance of breakfast and how they can help connect one million more children with school breakfast.

For more information on the campaign's efforts, or send a message on the importance of breakfast, visit NoKidHungry.org/breakfast.

About SHARE OUR STRENGTH'S NO KID HUNGRY CAMPAIGN
No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our
Strength's No Kid Hungry® campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals. This work is accomplished through the No Kid Hungry network, made up of private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. The No Kid Hungry campaign's work to increase school breakfast participation is generously supported by national sponsor Tyson Foods. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Contacts:
Mfa, Ltd., 212-528-1691
Prerana Swami, [email protected]
Erin Curtis, [email protected]

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SOURCE Share Our Strength