Gov. Tom Wolf’s School Breakfast Initiative is providing 151 schools with grants up to $5,000 to help more children start their day with nutritious foods
The Times
Gov. Tom Wolf’s School Breakfast Initiative is providing 151 schools with grants up to $5,000 to help more children start their day with a healthy meal.
Among the recipients will be the Bristol Township School District, which requested $3,795 for Harry S. Truman High School.
The only other Bucks County recipient was the Pennridge School District, which requested about $14,600 for four locations.
In all, the state is investing $592,000.
“A healthy breakfast helps students begin the school day ready to learn and succeed,” Wolf said. “By investing in school breakfasts, we are investing in the lives of children. When kids start their day with good nutrition, they’re ready to learn and grow up healthier and stronger.”
Pennsylvania first lady Frances Wolf said, “Our students are our greatest resource as Pennsylvanians. We must give them the tools they need to prepare them to be our future leaders — which includes a healthy breakfast every morning. Quite simply, children just cannot perform at their best in school if they are hungry. Since the school breakfast initiative began, many schools across the commonwealth have been able to expand access to breakfast to help more children have the healthy boost they need to start their day.”
Wolf launched the School Breakfast Initiative two years ago. Schools use grants to implement a breakfast program using an alternative serving method, like grab-and-go, or breakfast in the classroom. Schools can also expand an existing program to include an alternative serving method. Breakfast must be made available to all students in a school.
“Students are more focused and in a better position to learn when they start their days with a healthy, nutritious meal,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “However, we know that only 50 percent of the students who receive a free or reduced lunch also receive breakfast. The mini-grants enable schools to address food security issues and help more students by either starting a new breakfast program or by improving an existing one.”
