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"What we're desperate for at this point is an open date," said Rose Cushing, president/CEO of YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy.

A child's chances of a healthy and successful future shouldn't depend on their zip code. But, according to an annual report from Advocates for Children of New Jersey, that's the reality for many Garden State children.

While the state has rules in place that require certain schools provide breakfast or lunch, hundreds of thousands of students are reportedly still missing out on a nutritious meal to start the day.

If someone from out of state asked you whether New Jersey is a decent place to raise a family, how would you respond?

Of the 539,576 students eligible for a breakfast deal — based on family income — just over 235,000 were served.

'Crossroads NJ' education report says the state needs to recommit to its long-abandoned school-aid formula, including an expansion of preschool.

Each county is ranked among the rest in four major categories: child and family economics, child health, safety and well-being, and education.

A $44 million federal grant, aimed at improving child care quality in New Jersey by implementing a public rating system, is set to run dry by the end of 2017.

Nationwide, 12 percent of parents — or seven million Americans — lacked health insurance in 2015, according to the latest data.

New Jersey officials are pushing from multiple angles to get schools with lots of chronically absent students to do more to get kids into the classroom.