Florida Lags Behind on Offering School Breakfast to Low-Income Children

Florida is doing better in its efforts to offer school breakfasts to low-income students. But it still isn't doing good enough, according to a report released by Florida Impact and the Food Research and Action Center in Washington, D.C.

An announcement posted by Kirsten Bokenkamp of the Food Research and Action Center reports that 46.9 out of 100 low-income children in Florida received breakfast at school during the 2011-12 school year, an increase from 45.5 children the year before.

However, the center said Florida is lagging behind the national average of 50 out of 100 low-income children receiving breakfast.

The center says, ideally, 70 out of 100 children should be part of a school breakfast program.

“While some counties have been successful, Florida must make breakfast more accessible to students. Expanding participation in breakfast is one of the most effective ways of promoting health and academic success for low-income children,” said Dr. Debra Susie, Florida Impact’s executive director.  “Improving participation rates will lead to healthier and hunger-free children who start the day ready to learn.”

To read more about the report, click here.