$1.4 million directed to assist schools with expanding breakfast programs

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Governor Roy Cooper has announced he is directing $1.4 million in federal funding to assist schools in expanding school breakfast programs.

The funds will be used to provide grants to school districts and charter schools to assist with implementing innovative school breakfast models to expand student participation in school breakfast.

“A child who is hungry can’t learn and many children can’t or won’t eat when they have to get up so early,” said Governor Cooper. “Innovative efforts that get breakfast to children in the classroom are proven to encourage them to eat which will improve their educational success.”

Grants of up to $50,000 per school nutrition program will be provided to assist in implementing innovative school breakfast models, such as Breakfast in the Classroom, Second Chance Breakfast, and Grab and Go Breakfast. These innovative school breakfast models have been shown to increase school breakfast participation, especially among students who qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch, a press release stated.

The more than 600 schools that are offering free school breakfast and lunch to all students for the first time during the 2023-24 school year through the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program will be given priority for the grants.