Last week, on March 10, the newly-formed Advisory Board for the got breakfast? Foundation had its first meeting. Our own Bryan Mullen, Managing Director, Meal Programs for E S Foods, is one of the prestigious 14-member board which is comprised of school foodservice directors and other industry experts. The Advisory Board will provide guidance to the foundation for future resources, projects and funding options.
Moderated by Sonya Kaster, R.D., L.D.N., S.N.S., Grant Administrator for the got breakfast? Foundation, the initial introductory meeting covered such issues as “best practices” for classroom breakfast as well as the barriers to classroom breakfast Listed below are a couple of the questions discussed. We’d like to hear your suggestions to share with the foundation.
1. How can the foundation better support school breakfast?
Some recommendations included: the need to sell the program to parents; solid social marketing, since not everyone knows the benefits of eating breakfast; and lobbying efforts for more federal funding.
2. Is the foundation communicating with the correct people?
Sometimes we are “preaching to the choir” and need to reach out to those who oppose breakfast in the classroom the most – which can include custodial staff, teachers, principals, and parents. One way to do this is by engaging their professional organizations or unions. Some specific examples include creating talking points for administrators and developing “best practices.”
The foundationm hopes to expand the school breakfast message to stress the importance of classroom and alternate site breakfasts as one answer to feeding hungry children and fighting childhood obesity. In fact, Kaster shared with the Advisory Board a letter she just sent to First Lady Michelle Obama respectfully suggesting that national implementation of alternate site/classroombreakfast be included in the Let’s Move platform and campaign.
Send us your comments and for more info on the got breakfast? Advisory Board, visit the http://www.gotbreakfast.org/ website.