For More than 50 Years, Hunger Task Force Has Advocated for School Breakfast
March 2–6 marks National School Breakfast Week, and this year’s theme is “The Quest for School Breakfast.” This is the time of year to highlight the School Breakfast Program and the dedicated school nutrition professionals who make sure students have access to a healthy and nutritious meal so they can begin their school day prepared to learn and succeed. According to the School Nutrition Association, the “Quest for School Breakfast” theme is meant to inspire schools to create engaging experiences that encourage students to eat breakfast each morning because “every great adventure starts with a strong beginning…and a nutritious breakfast!”
School breakfast is one of the most significant ways to address childhood hunger and support student success. When children are hungry in school, it affects their ability to focus, learn and fully participate throughout the day. Evidence supports that consistent access to breakfast improves attendance, behavior and academic outcomes for students. However, even though schools offer breakfast through the School Breakfast Program, many students do not take advantage of the free meal. This isn’t because the program doesn’t work. It’s because access is often influenced by policy decisions, scheduling challenges and sometimes stigma. Hunger Task Force supports program designs that provide access to nutritious meals for all students in as seamless a manner as possible.
Advocacy for school breakfast is foundational to Hunger Task Force. The organization was founded in 1974 when parents and concerned community members banded together to advocate for healthy, universal school breakfast within Milwaukee Public Schools. That initiative demonstrated that addressing hunger is about strengthening public systems, not solely relying on charitable donations. Hunger Task Force’s commitment to ending childhood hunger guides our work today as we continue to advocate at the local, state and federal levels to protect and strengthen child nutrition programs and provide schools with the resources they need to serve breakfast in ways that provide access to more students.
In Wisconsin, an estimated 40 to 45 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, which indicates the strong need for school breakfast programs. For many of these children, school meals, including breakfast, are the most reliable source of their daily nutrition. Despite this need, participation in school breakfast continues to remain significantly lower than school lunch participation with nearly 40 million fewer breakfasts served in 2024.
Breakfast models like Breakfast After the Bell, breakfast in the classroom and universal meal programs increase participation by meeting students where they are. These approaches reduce stigma and establish breakfast as a regular part of the school day. Hunger Task Force is proud to team up with No Kid Hungry to expand access to school breakfast and other federal child nutrition programs. Together, we advocate for policies and strategies that strengthen nutrition programs and improve access to and outcomes for students throughout Wisconsin.
National School Breakfast Week is an opportunity to highlight the impact of school breakfast programs, but the work is ongoing. Ensuring children have access to breakfast every day requires continued advocacy, effective policy, consistent partnerships and community investment. At Hunger Task Force, this work remains vital to our mission to end hunger in Wisconsin.
Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization’s core values are Dignity, Justice, Equity, Compassion and Stewardship. Hunger Task Force feeds people today by providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force also works to end future hunger by advocating for strong public policies and nutrition programs at the local, state and federal level.