TC Williams Receives $4K No Kid Hungry Grant

WEST END ALEXANDRIA, VA - From No Kid Hungry Virginia: No Kid Hungry Virginia is investing more than $27,000 to help jumpstart programs that bring breakfast into classrooms at middle and high schools across the state through its latest round of grants. The program – known nationwide as Breakfast After the Bell – increases access to school breakfast by bringing breakfast out of the cafeteria to make it a part of the school day.

Accessing traditional cafeteria breakfast service can be challenging for youth. Breakfast After the Bell provides breakfast in a way that is more convenient and accessible to students, resulting in increased student participation.

More than 300,000 children in Virginia live in families that struggle with hunger. 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 Virginia and its partners focus on Breakfast After the Bell as a critical way to end childhood hunger in Virginia.

The following secondary schools received No Kid Hungry Virginia breakfast grants:

• Arcadia High in Accomack County – $4,900
• T.C. Williams High in the city of Alexandria – $4,269
• Buckingham County Middle in Buckingham County – $5,120
• Essex High in Essex County – $4,825
• Fluvanna County High in Fluvanna County – $3,700
• Andrew Lewis Middle in city of Salem – $5,000

More than 1,000 schools in Virginia have Breakfast After the Bell programs. Research indicates that eating breakfast at school helps children improve classroom performance, attendance and promotes healthy habits.

“No Kid Hungry Virginia is here to support schools across the state that are starting Breakfast After the Bell initiatives,” said Claire Mansfield, No Kid Hungry Virginia state director. “Initially more common in elementary schools, more and more middle and high schools are implementing successful programs that bring breakfast into the classroom. Traditional breakfast programs in the cafeteria have been historically hard for students to access because of bus or carpool schedules and other factors. These new Breakfast After the Bell models will help make sure more Virginia students are eating breakfast at school every day.”

The grants will help schools purchase “Grab and Go” kiosks where students can easily pickup breakfast in the morning, along with other supplies that will assist cafeteria staff with launching alternative Breakfast After the Bell models to bring breakfast out of the cafeteria and increase student access and participation.

Visit va.nokidhungry.org for more information about No Kid Hungry Virginia’s work and Breakfast After the Bell programs.

Image via Shutterstock / Africa Studios