About Hunger
- Hunger In Milwaukee
- Hunger Facts
- Federal Nutrition Programs
- Summer EBT
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) / FoodShare
- SNAP/FoodShare Education
- School Breakfast Program
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
- Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
- Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program
- Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) / Stockbox
- Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
- Hunger Publications
- Hunger Partners
School Breakfast
In Wisconsin, 1 in 6 children live in poverty. It’s hard for children to focus on learning when they have an empty stomach. School Breakfast provides critical nutrition to children, especially in high poverty areas where kids might not get that nutrition at home. Unfortunately, Wisconsin ranks last in the country in serving breakfast to students from low-income families. Hunger Task Force is working with school districts, teachers and parents to ensure thousands of more hungry kids get a breakfast to start their day.
How does school breakfast impact hunger?
Hunger takes a physical, mental and academic toll on children. Abundant research shows that hungry students have poorer academic and health outcomes. Children who do not have enough to eat suffer two-to-four times as many individual health problems compared to children who are well-nourished. Hunger delays the cognitive development of children, hindering their ability to achieve academically.
Children who eat breakfast, on the other hand, are absent from school less often, have a decreased risk of being overweight and are less likely to have behavioral problems in school. In Wisconsin, 76 (out of 430 total public) school districts have more than 50% of their student population qualifying for free or reduced price meals. The need to offer school breakfast is based on the lack of access to nutritious food for a substantial number of Wisconsin children, but all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, can benefit from participating in the School Breakfast Program.
What happens next?
Hunger Task Force can help! Over the last several years we’ve worked with school districts to connect over 4,000 more students from low-income families to a school breakfast every day. Hunger Task Force provide technical assistance, educate on best practices and work with teachers, principals, parents and school administrators to make sure the School Breakfast Program is a success.
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Joe and Joyce Ellwanger Are the Passionate Couple Behind Hunger Task Force
Joe and Joyce Ellwanger, the passionate couple behind the creation of Hunger Task Force, initiated the organization’s journey in the 1970s by establishing a free breakfast program for students in Milwaukee’s low-income neighborhoods.
Hunger Task Force Celebrates 2024 Wisconsin School Breakfast Champions
This year, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin, Hunger Task Force, and No Kid Hungry Wisconsin are thrilled to recognize nine Breakfast Champions across the Badger state! As we dive into National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8), we want to recognize ALL of the individuals that go above and beyond to ensure that students start their day equipped with all of the tools they need to learn.
Toolkit Available! 2023-2024 NSBW School Breakfast Celebration
Wisconsin is celebrating School Breakfast this week and every week! School Breakfast is the most important school supply children can have access to! In this toolkit, we’ve gathered tools, templates, language and images that can be used in Wisconsin to celebrate School Breakfast during National School Breakfast Week (and any other time of the year.)
Nominations Open! 2024 School Breakfast Champion
Hunger Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin and No Kid Hungry Wisconsin are partnering this year to collect stories of Breakfast Champions across the state of Wisconsin to celebrate those who are doing all they can to make sure students have healthy meals throughout the day. A champion is anyone who takes action to improve school meals programs and helps kids get the nutrition they need to fuel their learning.
Manitowoc Public School Advocates Working to Provide Healthy School Meals for All Students and End Lunch Shaming in the District
Community advocates and members of the Manitowoc Public School District (MPSD) Board of Directors have demanded Superintendent James Feil reverse his decision to opt out of a program which would have provided healthy school meals for all students during the 23/24 school year.
Student Interns from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Join Forces with Hunger Task Force to Address Local School Meal Needs
Hunger Task Force is proud to announce our inaugural partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee! Together with the Hunger Task Force Child Nutrition Organizer, the students will be working on projects that advance awareness and participation in school meals across local Milwaukee schools.
Child Nutrition Organizer Helps Ensure That Every Child in Wisconsin Starts School Ready to Learn
School meals play an important role in helping to ensure that every child in Wisconsin starts school ready to learn. As the Child Nutrition Organizer, Tamira Rasco works to increase participation in federal nutrition programs in our schools through outreach, organizing, education and by eliminating hurdles standing between kids having access to nutritious, free school meals.
‘I feel thankful’: Family of seven shares how important free school meals are as kids head back to class
As you can imagine, providing for six children comes with quite the price tag. That’s why the Valentine family benefits from a school program where they’re provided free meals in school. It’s called the Community Eligibility Provision. With resources from the Hunger Task Force, students are able to receive free meals and snacks throughout the day.
Meet the new faces of Hunger Task Force
The principal strength of Hunger Task Force is its compassionate and committed staff. Hunger Task Force is proud to announce the addition of three new faces to our Advocacy, Nutrition and Farm teams. We are thrilled to welcome Tamira, Pasua and Stephen to their new roles at Hunger Task Force.
Hunger Task Force Celebrates Schools Recognized in the 2022-23 Wisconsin School Breakfast Challenge
This year, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction teamed up with Hunger Task Force, the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin, and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry to inspire creativity and increase student participation in school breakfast. Throughout the month of February, thirty schools from across the state competed in the 2022-2023 Wisconsin School Breakfast Challenge.