Philadelphia School Breakfast Challenge

Posted by Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger on May 29, 2017

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, but far too many Philadelphia children don’t get the nutrition they need.

National data makes clear that Pennsylvania as a whole still has a long way to go to ensure that eligible students start their day with the fuel they need to learn. According to the “School Breakfast Scorecard” released in 2017 by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the state ranks 38th nationally, with just 49.5% of low income children in Pennsylvania who eat lunch, also participating in school breakfast.

In Philadelphia, thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which qualifies each student for free school breakfast, 60% of low-income children in the city who eat lunch, also participate in school breakfast. This ranks the city 44th among large school districts nationally.

To help highlight the importance of school breakfast, and incentivize schools that make meaningful changes to increase student access to breakfast, Councilwoman Helen Gym has teamed up with partners throughout the city to hold the Philadelphia School Breakfast Challenge!

http://www.hungercoalition.org/phillyschoolbreakfast