Starting a school breakfast program

School breakfast programs assist disadvantaged young people in getting a good start to the day by providing the opportunity to share a nutritious meal in a supervised environment.

When setting up a breakfast program, consider the following:

1. Determine the level of need within the school
Collecting data is a good way to establish the level of need within a school and will allow the program to be evaluated. See Initial Assessment for support resources.

• Conduct short questionnaires or surveys to find out if parents and students would support a breakfast program (see sample student survey).
• Observe behavior in the school. Are there students who always arrive at school very early? Who are they, and what time do they arrive? Are there others who always arrive late without having eaten?
• How do teachers describe student behavior in morning classes and on the school grounds? For example, is attention a problem in the early part of the day for some students? Are these students slow to settle or not engaged?
• Collect quantitative data such as attendance rates and late arrivals. This baseline information can be used to help measure the impact of the breakfast program over time. 

2. Gather support through building understanding
SeeRoadmaps to Success section for support resources.

• Discuss the issues with the school's leadership team and at staff meetings; share the data and issues identified through step one (above).
• Develop a strategy to enlist the support of the school council and any parents and friends association. These are key groups within the school community and are important in establishing, promoting, and sustaining a program. This strategy may include a presentation of findings from the data collection and issues raised in the school's leadership team meeting.

3. Create an organizing committee

• If sufficient interest exists within the school community, set up a breakfast program committee of interested volunteers. This could be a subcommittee of the school council or parents and friends association, but could also comprise other interested people such as community groups or church groups.
• Consider including student representatives on the committee. Older students can be invaluable in assisting with organizing and publicizing the program.
• Organize fundraising activities.

4. Build community partnerships

• Explore opportunities to generate links with local services and businesses to build the sustainability of the program. Examples of possible partners in breakfast programs can be local bakeries or dairies, independent supermarkets, local community health centers, church groups, or other community and/or business organizations. (See the Breakfast Programs Information Booklet for a sample letter for approaching businesses, p. 16, and sample thank you letter, p. 17.)
• Consider approaching agencies such as Boys & Girls Clubs or the Red Cross for assistance. Organizations with experience in this area can provide valuable advice as well as local contacts.

5. Develop program guidelines
(Seesample Breakfast Club Coordinator Planning form.)

• Decide what breakfast method will be used (see There's More Than One Way to Serve Breakfast for support resources) and how often the program will run (e.g., five days per week).
• Define the roles and responsibilities of those running the program so that everybody is clear about what to do (see Staffing for related information and sample job descriptions). Make sure these roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated to all interested parties.
• Decide on the eligibility criteria for program attendance.
• Decide how program participation records will be kept (e.g., who volunteers when and for how many hours).
• Establish a budget that shows how finances are planned and applied. See Calculating Costs for support resources.
• Develop a process (in conjunction with the school principal) for recording the number of students attending and whether needy students are being reached.

6. Be practical
The program needs to be sustainable, with a particular focus on making it easy to manage.

• Organize staffing rosters. Typically the work is done by volunteers. Existing programs have used student welfare staff, parents, teachers, or other community volunteers (such as service clubs or community/business organizations and church groups).
• Plan a healthy menu; this may be the only meal in the day where students have access to healthy food, so make it count.
• Purchase, collect, and store food. A sheltered and secure location near a kitchen facility will be needed, as well as access to crockery and cutlery. Think about how the food can be served and cleaned up easily. Remember that students can help take responsibility with the establishment, delivery, and evaluation of the program.
• Be aware of food handling and storage guidelines. See Basics for Handling Food Safely.
• Develop school food policy with a whole-school approach to healthy eating. See Nutrition Standards for School Mealsand Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: Policies to Promote Healthy Eating.
• Prepare a monthly report that shows income/monies spent and the remaining balance. Forward a copy to the principal and stakeholder groups.

7. Launch the program
See Marketing Efforts for support resources.

• Involve students in the launch of the program.
• Invite guest speakers to a school assembly.
• Announce the program in the school newsletter. (See sample Article for School Newsletter andSchool Breakfast Newsletter Inserts.)
• Run a library display featuring books and posters on the theme of good nutrition.
• Run competitions through the school for the best poster advertising the program.
• Distribute flyers about healthy food and lifestyle choices. (See sample Breakfast—It Matters! fact sheet and Benefits of Breakfast flyer.)

8. Evaluate the program

• Evaluate the effect of the program and provide feedback to the school council, principal, parents, and teachers and supporting agencies. Analyze the records and data that have been kept to determine whether the program has met the needs of the students. How do staff and students view the program, how often is it attended, what impact has it had? (See sample student survey, participant summary report, p. 18, and monthly financial report pro forma, p. 19. Also see sample food audit.)
• Consult with all stakeholders and make recommendations for ongoing improvements to the program. See Assessing School Breakfast Potential: Analyze Your Current Program and Identify Strategies to Expand School Breakfast.