One of our local schools recently kicked off a breakfast club initiative. Most importantly, this program will expand access to critical morning meals for students and address the growing issue of child hunger that is weighing heavily on the minds of educators and families. Dawn Aldridge, the school’s business manager, says it’s been transformational. She’s convinced it has the potential to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of students and their families.
Aldridge commented on the sad truth that children show up to school and stated this as “horrendous.” She was surprised by how prevalent this problem was. It underscores the broader issues of poverty and food insecurity that so many students come to school with. The breakfast clubs provide freedom for hard-pressed families by making sure that children start their day with a healthy, balanced breakfast. They nurture a culture of nutritious eating and timeliness, too.
Aldridge is responsible for the school’s non-academic business operations. He is pivotal to making this new initiative work. Her responsibilities include overseeing the school’s resources and budget, which may involve collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders to secure funding for the breakfast clubs. Aldridge is hopeful that the program will produce tangible benefits. He’s convinced it could have a huge impact on pupil absences by getting kids in to school on time.
“They are learning about healthy eating and sticking to schedules – it’s all good, and it’s about that early intervention,” – Dawn Aldridge
The breakfast clubs will provide a supportive environment where children can socialize and engage with their peers before classes begin. Aldridge is confident that this effort will do more than just fill kids’ bellies, it’ll improve students’ test scores and overall performance in the classroom as well. By ensuring that children are nourished and present in school, she hopes to contribute to a more conducive learning environment.
Parents have welcomed this initiative. One parent, Karen Brennan, shared her relief, stating, “We couldn’t afford for her to come every day before, but now she can.” Brennan further added, “It means we are a lot freer as a family and she really enjoys it.” These stories demonstrate how the program benefits families by reducing out-of-pocket expenses. It nurtures the overall school climate in a supportive way for the kids.
