As students across the state head back to the classroom, No Kid Hungry Virginia wants to remind the community about one of the most important parts of the school day: breakfast.
The nonprofit – which focuses on solutions to end childhood hunger – works with Virginia schools to implement Breakfast After the Bell, a program that increases access to school breakfast by bringing breakfast out of the cafeteria and into the classroom.
One in seven kids 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 the state. This work could not be done without the generous help of our Virginia sponsors: Boeing, Dominion Foundation, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Sentara and Smithfield Foods. Nearly 1,000 schools in Virginia currently implement Breakfast After the Bell programs.
“Increasing access to breakfast helps improve classroom performance, attendance and promotes healthy habits among students,” said Claire Mansfield, No Kid Hungry Virginia state director. “No Kid Hungry Virginia continues to be grateful for our many sponsors and partners whose support helps us grow and strengthen Breakfast After the Bell programs in Virginia.”
Visit va.nokidhungry.org for more information about No Kid Hungry Virginia’s work and Breakfast After the Bell programs.