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End Hunger Connecticut! CT. Among Ten Worst States In Nation In Providing School Breakfast To Low-Income Children Hartford ---Connecticut continues to lag behind the nation in participation in the federally funded School Breakfast Program leaving many low-income children at risk during the school day. For the first time, Connecticut ranks among the ten worst states in the nation in providing a free or reduced price breakfast for those who are eligible, according to a report released today by the Food Research Action Center (FRAC) in Washington DC. Connecticut also ranks third to last among schools that participate in both the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The federally funded School Breakfast Program provides reimbursement to schools to offer free and reduced price breakfasts for students. Nationwide, of schools that offer lunch, 78.3 percent participated in school breakfast. Last year 18 states had participation rates of over 90 percent. Only 6 states had participation rates of less that 60 percent of the schools that offer lunch. Connecticut was at 49.8 percent making it 49th in the nation. "The two states that rank below Connecticut have taken proactive steps to increase school participation." Said Lucy Nolan, Executive Director of End Hunger Connecticut! "It’s time Connecticut steps up to the plate to deserves the best possible start to their school day." New Jersey and Wisconsin ranked 51st and 50th respectively out of all the states and the District of Columbia. New Jersey is requiring all schools with 20 percent or more free and reduced eligible children to participate in the School Breakfast Program by September 2004, and Wisconsin’s Governor Doyle has made 100 percent school participation in the program a goal of his administration. Research indicates that children who eat breakfast in the morning at school, do better on math and reading tests, as well as have lower behavior problems and less absenteeism. Not only does eating breakfast decrease the chances of childhood obesity, the School Breakfast Program has a positive impact on the weight of young and adolescent girls. "The research is so clear on the benefits of school breakfast we must take active steps to increase participation." Said Nolan. End Hunger Connecticut! will call on the Connecticut General Assembly to propose legislation requiring all schools with 40 percent or more children eligible for a free or reduced price lunch to offer a school breakfast program. Current Connecticut regulations require all elementary schools with 80 percent eligible children to participate. New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport are some of the school districts that are currently using the program Connecticut is also among the lowest performing states in the nation for student participation, reaching only 33.4 percent of low-income students with school breakfast per 1000 reached with school lunch. "We’d like to see towns use alternative ways of getting breakfast to kids too. Breakfast for every kid in the classroom is a big winner once it’s been tried. EHC! will be working with districts to find innovative ways to increase participation as well." said Nolan. "As we see the remarkable increase in food pantry use by families, we know that need is there, and this is one way to alleviate it." The School Breakfast Program was permanently authorized by Congress in 1975 to assist schools in providing a nutritious morning meal to children. It was reauthorized with strong bipartisan support in 1988. School breakfast funding is available on an entitlement basis to eligible institutions (including public and non-profit private schools and residential child care institutions). The federal government reimburses schools for all or part of the cost of every meal, depending on the financial means of participating children’s families. End Hunger Connecticut! is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending hunger in Connecticut. Our goal is to raise awareness of hunger in the state of Connecticut, promote funding for and access to nutrition assistance programs, and to speak out to help eliminate the root causes of hunger. EHC! works with the goal of helping low-income families move "beyond the food pantry" towards self-sufficiency. To view the Food Action Resource Center’s report School Breakfast Report Card: 2003 please visit www.frac.org or call End Hunger Connecticut! for a copy (860) 560-2100. 102 HUNGERFORD STREET, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
06106 EMBARGOED PRESS RELEASE: CONTACT: Lucy Nolan THURSDAY, NOV. 6, 2003 at 10:00AM PHONE: 860-560-2100 x 13 or 860-966-2816
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