Bringing Breakfast to the Classroom

All children deserve access to school breakfast to support their learning. Decades of research prove that school breakfast greatly improves academic performance and student behavior.
However, more than 60% of low-income students in California do not eat a regular breakfast, which limits their ability to succeed in school.

In October 2016, Escondido Union School District (EUSD) made a move to change that statistic by rolling out Breakfast in the Classroom at Felicita Elementary School. EUSD plans to expand to more elementary schools in coming years.

Already, daily student participation in the breakfast program has increased by 60%. Now, 465 students, which is close to seven out of ten at the school, enjoy free breakfast each morning and teachers tell us it’s a great way to begin the school day.

Thanks to the work of California Food Policy Advocates, San Diego Hunger Coalition, and other anti-hunger organizations statewide, an additional $2 million in the California state budget will enable public schools to start or expand after-the-bell breakfast programs.

San Diego Hunger Coalition’s Robin McNulty provided testimony to advocate for expanding Breakfast After the Bell statewide and has written a case study on the program’s past success at Lemon Grove Elementary School. This proven impact helped encourage Escondido to roll out breakfast in the classroom.

Breakfast After the Bell models see a substantial increase in student attendance, positive academic performance, less student tardiness and visits to the health office.

The state government will provide grants of up to $15,000 per school site, with priority given to high poverty schools. This funding is a huge win for ending hunger in the classroom.

For more information on these state funded grants click here or contact Paloma Perez Bertrand.

New Health Permit Regulations for Meal Sites: What to Know

Photo: "Playground" by dadblunders is licensed under CC BY 2.0

After-school meal programs help ensure kids have adequate energy for homework and active play—and that they won’t go to bed hungry. 

Over the past year, several of our partner organizations struggled to adjust to new health permit regulations and fees, and it has been a barrier to providing meals for kids who need them. 

As we enter 2017, here’s what you need to know to comply with new permitting policies from California’s Department of Education.

1. Make sure your permits are up-to-date
   To update your health/sanitation and fire/building safety permits, your organization must submit a current permit or a satisfactory report from a recent inspection.
2. Stay tuned for updated program guidelines
   The California Department of Education is creating a Management Bulletin for program sponsors and health departments to properly administer at-risk meal programs.
3. You may have to adjust the types of meals you serve  
   Many of our partners have been required to switch to serving pre-packaged, nonperishable foods if they don’t have a commercial-style kitchen to serve hot foods.
4. Take another look at your budget
   Along with updated regulations come annual permit fees of $200/permit and inspection fees of $284/visit, which place an additional financial burden on anti-hunger organizations. Be sure to factor these new fees into your 2017 budget.

These new changes are part of the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aims to simplify the transition for providers from summer food service programs to afterschool meals while school is in session. Still, the financial burden from the new permitting and inspection process can make it more difficult for service providers to accomplish their purpose – offering nutritious meals for children at risk of hunger.

Click here for more information to make sure your organization is in compliance with these updated policies, or contact Robin McNulty at robin@sdhunger.org or 619-501-7917.

Ending Student Hunger with Second Chance Breakfast

A successful day at school starts with nutrition. Unfortunately, the one in four children who arrive to school without having eaten breakfast are missing out on the fuel they need to concentrate and learn. There’s good news in San Diego: local schools that have implemented Breakfast After the Bell have seen a more than 200 percent increase in the number of students who participate in breakfast programs. 

How collaboration helped more students start the day with nutrition

Over the past year, San Diego Hunger Coalition has been a designated mentor to the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) to help implement alternate school breakfast programs. We provide technical assistance including site visits and remote consulting for the school district.  

Data on breakfast participation and interviews with students revealed that traditional breakfast models (served before school starts) had only increased student participation by two percent. The SDUSD team and Robin McNulty, our Director of School Meals Programs, recommended a Breakfast After the Bell model called Second Chance Breakfast, or “Grab n’ Go,” for middle schools. As the name implies, students eat breakfast during a break in the morning, usually between first and second periods. The food items are offered from mobile carts located in high traffic areas where there are many students.

From June 2015 to September 2016, the San Diego Unified School District targeted 20 middle schools to implement food carts as an alternative to the school breakfast served in the cafeteria. They have seen significant increases in breakfast participation at three middle schools and two high schools. One middle school, Wilson Middle, had an incredible increase of 260 percent in breakfast participation – going from only 60 breakfasts served in September 2015 to 495 breakfasts served in June 2016.

We are proud of the progress San Diego Unified School District has made in serving more children breakfast, and excited to show how Breakfast After the Bell can have a tremendous impact on students’ ability to succeed in school.

What We Can Learn From This Summer’s Meal Programs

Photo courtesy of San Diego Unified School District

During the summer months, thousands of children lose access to an important source of nutrition – school meals. It’s estimated 91,655 children in San Diego County are at risk of going hungry when school is out.

Sites in low-income areas across San Diego County offer free meals during the summer to keep these children from going hungry. Unfortunately, many kids don’t participate due to barriers like:

• Lack of awareness
• Difficulty accessing transportation
• Safety concerns

The Summer School Meals Task Force helps alleviate these barriers to ensure all kids have access to summer meals when school is out. This task force is a leading resource for starting new summer meal sites and improving existing sites, with the goal of increasing participation in summer meals countywide. 

As we look back on this summer, we thank these anti-hunger heroes for their tireless work to get the word out about summer meals sites:

• Summer Food Service Program sponsors
• School districts
• Park and Recreation Departments 
• County and City Library branches 
• YMCAs
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Childcare centers
• County of San Diego HHSA nutrition educators
• Service locations
• Community partners
• Charitable food organizations
• Elected officials
• Local businesses

You can see a full list of the Summer Meals Task Force participating organizations here. The final counts for number of meals served and number of service locations will be available in late 2016 from the California Department of Education.  

As we celebrate the progress we made with our partners this summer, we remain committed to overcoming the barriers that keep kids from accessing food when school is out. San Diego Hunger Coalition will also continue work to make good nutrition convenient and affordable in kids’ everyday environments during the school year. 

Want to get updates on how we’re connecting San Diego children with the nutrition they need? Click here to sign up for our newsletter.

Serving Up More Than Food This Summer

PHOTO CREDIT: SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

During summer vacation, many kids who rely upon free or reduced price school meals don’t have enough to eat. Sites in low-income areas across San Diego County offer free meals for children at risk of going hungry, but many are hard to access or parents aren’t aware of them. To bring more meals to kids at risk of hunger, many San Diego summer meal sites are combining nutrition with fun, educational and family-friendly activities – everything from magic shows to computer programming classes.

Our Summer Meals Task Force has found that pairing meal sites with existing kid-friendly, educational programs is an incredibly cost effective strategy for increasing awareness and participation. It also helps to remove stigma from the experience, giving kids in low-income areas the chance to enjoy carefree summer learning activities along with their peers. 

The summer meal site at the Casa De Oro library is a shining example of the potential for summer meal sites. Here are just a few of the activities the library provides alongside its summer meal program.

• Magic shows
• Board games
• Summer reading contests
• Birdhouse painting classes for parents to enjoy while their kids eat and play
• Video games
• Dodge ball
• Special socializing programs for teens
• Pajama Day
• Story time for toddlers and preschoolers
• Different educational activities for each day of the week including
• Learning about geography and foreign cultures through coloring
• Computer and coding classes
• Handwriting and cursive lessons
• Arts and crafts
• Lego building

These integrations in a summer meal program not only ensure that kids get enough to eat by removing stigma and increasing awareness and participation, they also build stronger communities, enriched family life and a love of learning amongst children.

Interested in finding a summer meal site? Here are the basics: 

• All kids 18 years old and younger are eligible for free meals.
• There is no paperwork required, enrollment, sign up or cost needed to participate.
• Parents can find the site nearest them in two easy ways:

1. Send a text message. Text FOOD to 877-877.
2. Call 2-1-1 San Diego for details. Dial 2-1-1.
3. Click here to enter your zip code

Spread the Word: How to Access Summer Meals in San Diego

Hunger among children does not take a break when school lets out for the summer. In fact, it becomes more of a problem when kids can’t eat breakfast and lunch at school.  Fortunately, the US Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program provides nutritious meals to children in low-income areas to help them continue growing and learning. In 2015, more than 220 San Diego locations offered free meals to kids 18 years old and younger. There is no paperwork, enrollment or cost to participate in the Summer Food Service Program. Parents can find the nearest site in three ways:

1. Send a text message. Text FOOD to 877-877.
2. Call 2-1-1 San Diego for details. Dial 2-1-1.
3. Map it online. Click here to enter your zip code.

You can help ensure that parents know how to access meals for their children as summer approaches:

• Copy the above information to your agency’s newsletter, social media, or website.
• Send the above information in an email to your agency’s partners and families.

If you have another idea about how to spread the word, please contact Robin McNulty, San Diego Hunger Coalition’s School Meals Program Director. 

Advocating For Statewide Expansion of Breakfast After The Bell Programs

Last week, our School Meals Program Director Robin McNulty traveled to the California State Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education to advocate for Breakfast After The Bell Programs across the state. 

Robin's testimony supported a larger effort to advocate for increased access to school breakfast programs in California. You can learn more about the benefits of breakfast in the classroom programs here.  

High School Students Raise Funds to End Hunger

High School students present their san diego hunger coalition benefit project

In November of 2015, five students from Clairemont High School’s Academy of Business woke up at 3:00 a.m. to prepare food for a fundraiser for the San Diego Hunger Coalition. The students were participating in program designed by Main Street Philanthropy to teach our next generation of leaders the value of giving back. 

The course gives students an overview of the nonprofit industry.  Students learn about local organizations and interview nonprofit staff and philanthropists. As the course progresses, students team up based on the causes they are passionate about and select a nonprofit to support with an event. We’re honored that five students chose San Diego Hunger Coalition.

Team Hunger Coalition’s fundraiser was a success, raising $112.65 and teaching friends and classmates about food insecurity. Most importantly, the five students had the experience of making a real difference for a cause they care about. We hope they’re hooked for life. 

Top 5 Tips from the Summer Meal Summit

In San Diego County, 59 percent of children who benefit from free or reduced-price school lunches don’t have access to this important nutrition during the summer months. That’s more than 68,000 kids.

Our Director of School Meal Programs, Robin McNulty, attended the annual Summer Meal Summit hosted by the California Summer Meal Coalition to learn about the latest strategies for increasing summer meal participation. From Robin’s perspective as an experienced summer meal provider, here are the top five tips for San Diego organizations looking to help children access healthy meals this summer.

1. An effective summer meal program doesn’t start in the summer; it’s a year-round effort. For a superb summer meal program, start by getting administrative processes in place early to engage existing and new partners in developing your vision and strategy.
2. Develop clear messaging to build awareness and reduce confusion among your target audiences. Working with a local network like San Diego Hunger Coalition’s Summer Meals Task Force can help with this.
3. Tailor your outreach about the summer meal program to the neighborhood where meal sites are located with culturally appropriate promotion in convenient locations.
4. Recruit partner agencies to offer regular activities and programs at summer meal sites to encourage community members to enroll in the summer meal program. If partner agencies cannot commit to providing consistent activities, consider an “adopt-a-week” strategy.
5. Hold a kick-off event to invite families to learn about summer meal programs in a fun, kid-friendly setting.

Building Bridges with Heaven's Windows

kids enjoying a heaven's windows child nutrition program

Led by Angela Kretschmar, the small team at Heaven’s Windows makes a big impact by working together with other community-based organizations. Each month approximately 1,500 families receive resources from Heaven’s Windows including grocery staples, summer meals, and after-school snacks through sites such as churches and other neighborhood agencies. But the Heaven’s Windows team doesn’t stop at providing food. They serve as a resource center helping each person access the unique assistance needed to improve their lives. 

Angela reached out to us seven years ago, because she felt the Hunger Coalition could provide guidance and support for her mission. The Hunger Coalition provided advocacy strategies, CalFresh training and outreach opportunities, and put her in touch with other community-based organizations. Angela has been thankful for the Hunger Coalition’s CalFresh Task Force monthly meetings where she and her team can address real-time client issues and contract questions, as well as discussing complex program regulations.  

It has been a match made in heaven. A recent success story is “Jim,” who came to Heaven’s Windows looking for support in navigating his journey from prison to workforce re-entry. Consistent food assistance was an important piece of the puzzle. Through its partnership with San Diego Hunger Coalition, Heaven’s Windows helped Jim secure food assistance through CalFresh. Once that basic need was met, Jim enrolled in job skills training. With hard work and the right resources, Jim is now employed full-time and on his way to a healthy, active life.

Angela is also excited about working with Robin McNulty, the Hunger Coalition’s new Director of School Meal Programs. “The Hunger Coalition will provide a much needed bridge between small nonprofit agencies serving children and local school nutrition services departments providing the food,” says Angela. She is also looking forward to joining the Hunger Coalition-facilitated Summer Meals Task Force, which is a resource for organizations and schools wanting to start new summer meal sites and/or improve participation at existing sites. Heaven’s Windows provided 88,000 meals to children during the 2015 summer break, and they are planning to provide even more in 2016!

San Diego Hunger Coalition is proud to partner with Heaven’s Windows. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2016 to help more people like Jim move from food insecurity to self-sufficiency.

Fueling Hungry Minds with Breakfast and Internet Access: iCafe

One in four children in San Diego County go to school without breakfast. According to the Food & Research Action Committee, numerous studies conclude that “students who eat school breakfast increase their math and reading scores as well as improve their speed and memory in cognitive tests. Research also shows that children who eat breakfast at school perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat breakfast at home.” In addition to giving our kids the nutrition they need to succeed academically, ensuring every child receives a nutritious breakfast is a sure-fire way to reduce child hunger.

Unfortunately, research from California Food Policy Advocates has shown that only 40% of low-income students in San Diego County are reached by traditional school breakfast programs.  To address this, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) selected the San Diego Hunger Coalition to work in partnership with the San Diego Unified School District to implement alternative breakfast strategies at select middle schools.

Yogurt parfait with fresh fruit and granola; a student favorite

Principal Nicola Labas of Clairemont’s Innovation Middle School, where 59% of students are eligible for free or reduced price school meals, has implemented a breakfast program with a creative twist. Apart from access to enough food, students also struggle with the Internet access they need for schoolwork.

Principal Labas’ program offers students access to both Internet and nutritious breakfast and at once. Her solution is iCafe, a school breakfast stand, in an area with Internet access, open an hour before school starts.  iCafe is an immediate success. The program has only been open for one month but school breakfast participation is already up by 11%. Innovation Middle School’s students love it. One of their favorite meals is a yogurt parfait with fresh fruit and granola. iCafe is also helping to remove the stigma associated with lack of access to food and Internet. The program has become so popular as a resource and social event that the school band came to play at the iCafe on December 9. 

Spreading The Word About School Meals

Our School Meals Program Director Robin McNulty, MPH presents "Getting the Word Out: Marketing Your School Meals Program" at the Annual California School Nutrition Association Conference on November 6.

The San Diego Hunger Coalition is pleased to announce that our School Meals Program will now be under the leadership of Robin McNulty, MPH. Robin is an expert in the field of nutrition, for the past 10 years she served as Director of Nutrition Services for the Lemon Grove School District. 
 
In her new role as School Meals Program Director, Robin will build upon the Hunger Coalition’s recent successes and deep commitment to ensuring children have access to healthy food year-round through school meals and other Federal Child Nutrition Programs. 

Getting the Word Out: Marketing Your School Meals Program is the title of a presentation given by Robin, on November 6th, 2015, at the 63rd Annual California School Nutrition Association Conference. Seventy-five school nutrition professionals attended the morning workshop to learn how to increase participation in school meal programs with low cost outreach strategies. The presentation focused on best practices for outreach methods to raise awareness from the Hunger Coalition and our partners. Here are four of the key outreach methods discussed:

1. Raising awareness about summer meals programs is most effective when it comes from a trusted entity or word of mouth.  During summer 2015, the Hunger Coalition launched an awareness building campaign to build participation at 5 summer meal sites in Southeastern San Diego through in partnership with San Diego Unified School District. We distributed nearly 5,000 flyers in the surrounding neighborhoods; placed ads in community newspapers; and partnered with local organizations, community leaders, and elected officials to make announcements at community events and in community newsletters. We only saw a slight uptick in participation at the location where the site director – who is well-known in the neighborhood -- distributed flyers himself.  We believe that families need to receive the information repeatedly and, most importantly, from sources they trust.
2. The Chula Vista Community Collaborative has been extremely successful in spreading the word about school and summer meal programs by utilizing promotoras. This outreach model recruits neighborhood champions to get the word out in a grassroots style.  The trained community members go door to door to provide information about available resources and how to receive the services.   
3. Technology is a growing strategy for reaching parents and kids.  Over the summer, the Hunger Coalition tested Share Our Strength’s “Text ‘FOOD’ to 877-877” program on our flyers to help people find the closest summer meals sites. Upon entering an address, the program will text nearby locations with information on the meals served and times.  To speak to a person about summer meal site locations, people can also call 2-1-1 San Diego.   
4. Another technology solution that we highlighted was the Digital School Menus mobile app that San Diego Unified School District and Sweetwater Union High School District are using to feature daily school food menus with nutrition information.  Parents and kids are loving being able to see what their school is serving for breakfast, lunch and supper.  

Lastly, during the share sessions other school districts shared their innovative outreach practices, such as contacting local businesses to post flyers in the store windows and contacting local law enforcement community resource officers to inform about the free summer meal programs. 

Looking for ways to build participation in your school meals program?  The Hunger Coalition can help!  Contact Robin McNulty, Director of School Meal Programs at robin@sdhunger.org or 619-501-7917 ext. 104.

School Meals Program Announcement

The San Diego Hunger Coalition is pleased to announce that our School Meals Program will now be under the leadership of Robin McNulty, MPH, who is an expert in the field of school nutrition and a passionate advocate for children and equitable services to all. 
 
For the past 10 years, Robin served as Director of Nutrition Services for the Lemon Grove School District.  In her new role as School Meals Program Director, Robin will build upon the Hunger Coalition’s recent successes and deep commitment to ensuring children have access to healthy food year-round through school meals and other Federal Child Nutrition Programs. 
 
With 1 in 4 children arriving to school hungry every day in San Diego County, and enough hungry kids to fill Qualcomm Stadium twice over, it is imperative that we fully utilize the options and resources available to give our children their best chance at success. 
 
The Hunger Coalition’s School Meals Program offers hands-on technical assistance to school districts and community-based organizations to implement or increase participation in:

• Universal Free Meals through Provision 2 for schools where more than 80% qualify for Free & Reduced Price Meals.
• Breakfast after the Bell, which has been proven to reach many more kids and improve school performance.
• “Supper” Meals, offered during after-school programs through the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
• Summer and Intersession Meals, offered when school is not in session.

 
We look forward to the enrichment of our partnerships and encourage you to review Robin’s full bio on our website.  Robin’s first day at the Hunger Coalition will be Tuesday, November 3, 2015, and you may contact her at robin@sdhunger.org or 619-501-7917.