Breakfast After the Bell is a proven method that ensures students receive the nutrition they need to start the day and succeed in school. Legislation under review in the Illinois General Assembly (HB3052/SB2252) will help more children receive breakfast by incentivizing schools to implement alternative breakfast delivery models, including breakfast after the bell, breakfast in the classroom, second chance breakfast, and grab and go breakfast.
Sponsored by Representative Jawaharial Williams and Senator Christopher Belt, this legislation makes important investments by offering grants to schools to implement breakfast after the bell programs. The following is a joint statement from Mayors Rita Ali (Peoria), Jonathan Vanderbilt (Park Forest), Daniel Biss (Evanston), who are some of Illinois’ representatives in the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger.
Our offices are on the frontlines of responding to challenges in our communities, and as mayors, we need every option available to fight childhood hunger. That’s why we support this vital piece of legislation.
School meals are a critical lifeline for kids and their families. They are essential for the 1 in 9 children who live with hunger in Illinois today.
We know that children who eat breakfast do better in school by helping students get the fuel they need, but the benefits don’t stop there. When kids have access to breakfast, they can focus on learning and not their empty stomachs. They’re healthier, better able to focus in the classroom, and miss fewer days of school. Research has shown that serving breakfast after the bell can reduce absenteeism by an average of 6 percentage points.
We thank Representative Williams and Senator Belt for their support of our state’s children.