The Journal Sentinel recently printed this editorial “Don’t skip this meal” about the need to expand breakfast programs in school districts across Wisconsin. The JS is soliciting letters to the editor on the topic: Should more school districts should offer breakfast for students?

Hunger Task Force encourages you to write a brief letter in support of more school districts offering breakfast for students. School breakfast is important because:

• Children eat the breakfast. Hunger Task Force reports on the Universal Free Breakfast Initiative in Milwaukee Public Schools found little to no “plate waste” in MPS breakfast programs. This means that children eat most, if not all, the food which is served at breakfast, preparing them to learn in the classroom.

• Hungry children do not learn. Many children do not eat a nutritious breakfast every morning. Often families are living on very tight budgets and can't afford to provide good breakfasts at home every day or the money to buy them at school. Regardless of income, families today live busy lives that often make it difficult to sit down long enough in the morning to eat a nutritious breakfast. Sometimes children are not physically capable of eating breakfast at home when they first wake up. Other children may have long commutes to school or long periods between breakfast at home and school lunch, making breakfast at school an important option.

• Hunger is growing in our community. Over ten percent of residents statewide live in poverty, and over thirteen percent of Wisconsin children live in poverty. The state of Wisconsin is experiencing record participation rates in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program and FoodShare. Demand for emergency food is at an all-time high in Milwaukee County. Breakfast programs alleviate hunger and make sure children are ready to learn in the classroom.

• In these tough economic times, breakfast programs bring in valuable federal and state dollars to school districts.

Please remember the following guidelines when writing your letter to the editor:

• Keep your letter to 150 words so it is more likely to be published.

• Add a personal touch and explain why you care about school breakfast.

• Avoid personal attacks on key decision makers or being divisive or abusive. Keep it positive.

• Include your full name, address, email and phone number with your submission.

Submit your letter to jsedit @ journalsentinel.com and bcc or send a follow-up email to Mary Ryan, organizer, at mary @ hungertaskforce.org, so we know you sent it.