Breakfast grants from Kellogg will help better prepare students to learn at school

Research has repeatedly shown that students who start the day with breakfast perform better at school. In addition to boosting brainpower, breakfast has been shown to curb behavior problems, reduce absenteeism and help children focus.   

Did you know? We designed our philanthropic strategy to align with our business goals. As a food company – and one with a 100-year heritage of nutrition leadership – it makes good sense for us focus on programs that target nutrition and physical fitness, like Action for Healthy Kids. While we emphasize these areas, we also support initiatives that improve community development and expand opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds.

To help these students better prepare for their school day, Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship Fund has provided $55,000 in grants to Action for Healthy Kids, a national non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes in schools. The grants were allocated through a competitive process to 41 U.S. schools to initiate, expand and promote school breakfast programs.

The $55,000 grant is part of a larger $400,000 grant we provided to Action for Healthy Kids earlier this year to galvanize parents and student leaders in their crusade for healthier children and healthier schools. 

"The concept is simple: children who are better nourished learn better. School breakfast programs help ensure that kids get healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, fiber, whole grains, and low- and non-fat dairy to jumpstart their day," says Rob Bisceglie, Executive Director of Action for Healthy Kids. "Unfortunately, thousands of children who could be getting breakfast at school aren't taking advantage of this health-promoting program."

In addition to funding the school breakfast programs, the grants will also help to increase parents' awareness and the number of students receiving a free school breakfast this year by as many as 20,000 nationally.  

"We're pleased to provide funding that will help grow school breakfast program awareness and participation," says Celeste Clark, Senior Vice President, Global Nutrition and Corporate Affairs. "Whether their healthy start begins at home or at school, we need to ensure that America's children are equipped with a nutritious breakfast that can aid in their academic performance and overall well-being."

To be eligible for funding, schools had to have at least 50 percent of their student population eligible for free and reduced-price meals. A complete list of schools receiving grants and information on their programs is available at www.actionforhealthykids.org.