5.3.2016 Yesterday, CFPA and our friends from the San Diego Hunger Coalition made the case for Breakfast After the Bell at a hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education. As stated by our Director of Legislation, Tracey Patterson:
California is a state of sobering contradictions — we have the world’s 7th largest economy and the nation’s highest rate of child poverty. We grow almost half of the produce that feeds our nation — yet nearly 2 million households with children in our state cannot consistently afford enough food…On a typical school day, 2 million of the state’s most vulnerable students miss out on the health and academic benefits of a free or reduced price school breakfast…Experience in other states — and pioneering schools in CA — shows that after-the-bell breakfast increases student participation, benefit ting students and improving the fiscal viability of school meal programs.
Status: The budget request to increase access to school breakfast remains “open” (under consideration) with the subcommittee. We will continue working with the subcommittee and other stakeholders to move the request forward — and we need your help!
What you can do: Let California’s budget leaders know that all kids deserve equitable access to school breakfast. The state should invest in Breakfast After the Bell. There are two important steps you can take today.
1) Letters – Please submit letters of support for the Breakfast After the Bell budget request.
Download a customizable sample letter and instructions for submitting your letter. doc
2) Social Media – Voice your support through social media. Sample tweets are included below.
- Invest in #CAbreakfast for returns on student health & academics @KMcCartyAD7 @PhilTing @Rendon63rd @CAFoodPolicy goo.gl/DyUZH5
- #CAbreakfast after the bell: get meals to kids in need @KMcCartyAD7 @PhilTing @Rendon63rd @CAFoodPolicy goo.gl/DyUZH5
- Common-sense solutions: #CAbreakfast after the bell gets kids ready to learn @KMcCartyAD7 @PhilTing @CAFoodPolicy goo.gl/DyUZH5
- Hungry kids struggle to learn. Invest in #CAbreakfast at high-poverty schools! goo.gl/DyUZH5 @KMcCartyAD7 @Rendon63rd @CAFoodPolicy
Have questions? Please contact Tia Shimada at tia@cfpa.net or 510.433.1122 ext 109
Learn more about Breakfast After the Bell. link
