NJ School Breakfast Available to More Kids

A new report finds more low income kids are getting breakfast at New Jersey schools than a few years ago.

The number of New Jersey students eating a healthy breakfast at school rose from about 136,000 children in October 2010 to nearly 184,000 in April 2013 according to the Food for Thought: New Jersey School Breakfast report by the Advocates for the Children of New Jersey (ACNJ).

“Even though we’re celebrating the increase we still have a long way to go – there are 320,000 children that are eligible for breakfast at school but they’re not getting it,” said Cecila Zalkind, executive director of ACNJ.

The report ranks Garden State counties on their student participation, and Cumberland comes in first, feeding 57 percent of eligible children, while Hunterdon is last, serving just 11 percent of the county’s low-income kids.

Zalkind pointed out Jersey schools are missing out on federal aid by not feeding children who are eligible.

For more information, you can visit www.njschoolbreakfast.org.