HealthMPowers will be partnering with high-need schools across Georgia to support and expand school breakfast programs through a grant from No Kid Hungry after a successful pilot program last year.
 
No Kid Hungry, a national campaign by Share Our Strength, will provide funding to help HealthMPowers and participating schools implement Breakfast After the Bell programs. Schools that apply for breakfast grants through No Kid Hungry will receive a maximum of $5,000 to implement Breakfast After the Bell models. HealthMPowers will be responsible for supporting and training school staff to execute those models.
 
“By working directly with schools to promote and implement Breakfast After the Bell programs, we know that not only will the health of our students be positively impacted, but we will also see positive academic outcomes and fewer behavioral problems,” said Danielle Scudder, School Breakfast Support Specialist for HealthMPowers. “I think we all know how hard it is to focus when we’re hungry, so how can we expect our students to learn and excel when they are?”
 
Breakfast After the Bell models include Breakfast in the Classroom, Grab-and-Go to the Classroom, and Second Chance Breakfast. Research shows these models translate to an average school breakfast participation rate of 63 percent or better.
 
Such improvements are tangible progress in the fight against child hunger, which affects 1 in 6 children in the U.S., and 1 in 4 children in Georgia. And according to a 2013 study, Breakfast in the Classroom has also been shown to increase student scores on standardized math and reading tests, particularly in vulnerable populations.
 
A joint pilot program between HealthMPowers and Share Our Strength succeeded in increasing school breakfast participation at seven elementary and secondary schools in Georgia in 2017-2018. Participation increased by an average of 21 percent, and participation at Roberts Middle School increased by 45 percent.