From Right to Left: Kate Maehr, Executive Director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD), Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, Matt Coatar, Executive Director of Feeding Illinois, and Nicole Robinson, VP of Community Impact (GCFD)
3/10/17 – In accordance with School Breakfast Week, Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti teamed up with No Kid Hungry Illinois, and the Illinois State Board of Education for an event to raise awareness for the Breakfast After the Bell and Summer Meals Program. Legislators gathered over breakfast in the State Capitol Rotunda to learn how they can help increase access to and provide children with nutritious meals year-round. Legislators were asked to encourage schools to implement Breakfast After the Bell Programs by hosting a breakfast round-table and to identify potential Summer Meal sites in their districts.
Starting in the 2017-18 school year the new Breakfast After the Bell law will help connect thousands of Illinois students with a healthy breakfast. The law will make breakfast an official part of the school day for every public school in which at least 70% of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
The Summer Meals Program is a federally-funded program that provides healthy nutritious meals to kids, age 18 and younger during the summer months so their bodies and minds are healthy, strong and ready for the next school year.
The event was covered by the Journal Courier . The 2017 Illinois School Breakfast Report was also officially released at the event!