No Kid Hungry California Director Kathy Saile today issued the following statement in reaction to the United States Department of Agriculture’s announcement that California’s food insecurity rate – the percentage of Californians whose access to adequate food for active, healthy living is limited by lack of money and other resources – decreased from 11.8 percent in 2014-2016 to 11.2 percent in 2015-2017:
“We’re pleased to see that California’s food insecurity rate is on the decline, but there is still much work to be done to ensure that every child in the Golden State gets the food they need to fulfill their greatest potential. School breakfast programs not only connect kids to the food they need to succeed in school and beyond, but increasing participation in these programs also makes economic sense. We look forward to continuing to work with local, state and federal officials to ensure every child can start their school day with a healthy meal.”
Studies show that students who eat breakfast attend more days of school per year, score higher on tests and are more likely to graduate high school. Though schools traditionally serve breakfast in the cafeteria before the school day starts, issues including negative stigma or tardiness can prevent them from getting the food they need to focus and thrive in the classroom. A report by No Kid Hungry revealed that 3 out of 4 teachers see students who regularly come to school hungry, and 76 percent of teachers see poor academic performance from their students when they don’t get enough to eat.
Last month, No Kid Hungry representatives participated in a panel discussion before the Sacramento Press Club, helping to announce plans for a child hunger caucus within the California State Legislature to increase attention on issues relating to food insecurity. In 2017, with No Kid Hungry’s support, California enacted Senate Bill 138 (McGuire), which automatically certifies students for free and reduced-price meals using existing Medi-Cal data. The measure is expected to connect nearly 800,000 low-income children with free school meals and bring approximately $15 million in federal funds to California.