March 7, 2022
Welcome to National School Breakfast Week! On March 7-11, we are highlighting the importance of school breakfast and celebrating the hard work teachers, school nutrition staff, and families have put in to make sure students have breakfast either before the school day begins or after the bell rings.
Did you know students who start their day with school breakfast are more likely to experience improved learning, display stronger behavioral health, and are less likely to be absent from school? While COVID-19 has posed many challenges, such as supply chain disruptions, schools are navigating how to ensure students continue to receive the nutrition they need. School breakfast continues to be offered at no cost to all D.C. students during the 2021-2022 academic year, as part of the child nutrition waivers through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. These waivers issued by the USDA have been critical in addressing operational challenges due to the pandemic. That’s why we encourage you to urge Congress to extend USDA authority to authorize these waivers beyond their expiration date of June 30, 2022.
D.C. Public Schools offer several opportunities for students to receive school breakfast:
- Elementary school students are able to receive breakfast in the classroom (BIC). Breakfast meals are delivered in insulated bags to each classroom, where students can eat breakfast together after the bell rings.
- Secondary (middle and high school) students can receive “grab and go” breakfast. This portable option makes pre-packaged meals available for students to pick up from a central location within the school, such as the front door on their way into the school. Meals are typically available throughout the morning to ensure students do not miss an opportunity to have breakfast before the start of their day.
This year, D. C. Hunger Solutions will continue to celebrate the importance of school breakfast by holding our annual Hear the Crunch Day! Join us Wednesday, March 9, as we grab an apple and take a bite to show our support of school breakfast. You can follow our lead by taking a picture while taking a bite of your apple and posting on social media using the hashtags #HeartheCrunch and or #NSBW22! You can also download our Hear the Crunch Social Media Toolkit for graphics and additional information to share!
We’d love to hear how you plan to celebrate National School Breakfast Week and Hear the Crunch Day! Share your plans by signing up here!