Project Bread, the state’s largest antihunger organization, has awarded $1,000 to the Somerville Public Schools in recognition of their commitment to serving a healthy school breakfast to more than 1,100 students every morning. 

In a release issued by Project Bread, they noted:

All twelve Somerville elementary, middle, and high schools now provide meals that meet the guidelines of Project Bread’s Better Breakfast Initiative. This Initiative, which was developed in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, includes low-fat milk, whole-wheat bagels, low-sugar cereals to improve glycemic levels during the morning lessons and improve the students’ attention span, and fresh fruit to reduce sugar and improve fiber consumption. 

“The Somerville Public Schools is proud to partner with Project Bread to expand the Better Breakfast Initiative to all schools in Somerville serving youth in grades PK-8,” said Tony Pierantozzi, Superintendent of Schools. “Our Food Service leadership and staff continue to lead the way in the effort to prevent childhood obesity. We are grateful for the collaboration with Project Bread’s leadership, which helped us implement these improvements in all of our elementary schools, thus providing all of our students with access to a better start to their school day.” 

To develop the Better Breakfast Initiative, Project Bread partnered with researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University to find a way to improve the health of school children. An earlier study, conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, found that eating breakfast close to the start of the school day improved a child’s ability to learn, improved health and behavior, and reduced tardiness and absenteeism.

As a next step, Project Bread asked the Harvard School of Public Health to develop guidelines promoting healthier food choices for school children. This meant finding ways to reduce sugar, salt, and saturated fat, while increasing fiber–all within the framework of a tight school food budget. 

In a short ceremony at the Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center, Ellen Parker, the executive director of Project Bread, presented the check to Tony Pierantozzi, Somerville’s Superintendent of Schools.

“In tough economic times, we’re happy to provide these funds to Somerville to help them promote healthy eating habits for school children,” said Parker. “We know how important nutritious school food is to children and want to congratulate these leaders for making the changes that will improve the kids’ lives.” 

As childhood obesity becomes an issue of national concern, more than 35 public schools across Massachusetts have instituted Project Bread’s Better Breakfast Initiative. 

About Project Bread: As the state’s leading antihunger organization, Project Bread is dedicated to alleviating, preventing, and ultimately ending hunger in Massachusetts. Through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, Project Bread provides millions of dollars each year in privately donated funds to over 400 emergency food programs in 130 communities statewide. Project Bread also advocates systemic solutions that provide food for families in natural, everyday settings, such as schools, after-school programs, summer programs, community health centers, hospitals, and elder home care organizations. For more information, visit: 

• www.projectbread.org
• www.facebook.com/projectbread
• www.twitter.com/walkforhunger