Hunger-Free Schools
Every Child Deserves a Healthy Start to the School Day
Our Vision for Hunger-Free Schools
We envision universal school meals for every child, where school meals are free for all K-12 students in Oregon and in every state.
Every child deserves a healthy start in life. Healthy meals at school help kids learn, grow, and thrive. But the reality is that too many kids in Oregon experience hunger and food insecurity. With one in every four children in the state of Oregon being food insecure, many families rely on school meals for their nutritional needs.
The Hunger-Free Schools initiative, launched in 2018, works to expand access to school meals through state and federal policy advocacy. Hunger-Free Oregon led the coalition expanding access to free school meals in the state, which was passed into law in 2019, making Oregon the national leader in school meal access. Today, we continue this work with continued state and federal advocacy for universal school meals.
Powerful Victories for Oregon Families
The Hunger-Free Schools campaign resulted in the passage of a comprehensive set of school meal policies, included in the 2019 Student Success Act, to significantly improve access to school meals for all students. We worked hard to ensure that the law was designed to benefit communities at the highest risk of hunger. Learn more about our 2019 Hunger Free Schools campaign.
The new investments to school meals are:
- More schools serving universal school meals: Oregon is supplementing the federal reimbursement for school meals so that more schools can opt into a program allowing them to provide all school meals free of charge (Community Eligibility Provision).
- More kids qualifying for free school meals: Students whose families earn between 185% and 300% of the federal poverty line (FPL) now qualify for meals served at no charge, an increase of 37% of food insecure families.
- Dramatic increases to Breakfast After the Bell: All schools with 70% or more students eligible for federal free or reduced price meals are now making free breakfast available to all students after the school day begins.
In 2023, Oregon legislation pass a historic investment in Oregon schools in House Bill 5014. HB 5014 included funding to support up to 3 out of 4 to qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision, and provide schools to provide universal school meals to all schoolchildren!
We look forward to supporting school districts in implementing the new option in the school year ’25-’25, and continuing to push for universal school meals for all Oregon students.
Resources for Communities
- One Pager: School Meal Eligibility Has Changed! Here’s what you Need to Know (2021)
- Report: Oregon School Meal Access during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Barriers, Best Practices, and Policy Recommendations (2021)
- Case Study: Hunger-Free Schools Campaign (2019)
Resources for School Meal Professionals
Take action to end hunger
Grant Opportunities for Kids Meals
Funding opportunities for food and nutrition programs in Oregon. Check back for updates!
Summer and Afterschool Meals: Start-up and Expansion Grants
Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs (ODE CNP)
For several years, the Oregon State Legislature has designated state funds for the expansion of summer and after school child nutrition programs. During the 2021-2023 biennium the Oregon Department of Education has approximately $518,000 available for At-Risk Afterschool, Seamless Summer Option and Summer Meal Programs Start-Up and Expansion grants. These funds are pass-through funds provided by the State of Oregon and administered by the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs (ODE CNP).
Grant applications dates and materials can be found on the Department of Education website or by contacting Jeanie Stuntzner at [email protected]
Oregon School Wellness Awards
Oregon Department of Education
Each year ODE selects 3 winners of the School Wellness Award. These schools are exemplary for their outstanding implementation of school district wellness policy. As sponsor of the awards, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council provides $2,500 and a recognition banner for each winner.
The banners, a signed certificate and the cash award are presented at special assemblies held at winning schools. Visit the website link for details.
School Grants for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids
School Breakfast Grants: Awards from $500 – $3,000 are available to schools to support increased breakfast participation.
Game On Grants: Up to $1,000 available for schools for physical activity and nutrition initiatives that support schools in becoming nationally recognized as health-promoting.
More information about grant eligibility and application processes can be found on the Action for Healthy Kids website.
Fuel up to Play 60
Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council
Learn more about Fuel up to Play 60 funding opportunities here.
Contact Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council for information about customized district applications which can be created for two or more schools in a district. Contact Crista Hawkins at [email protected] with questions and interest.
New Books and Resources for Summer Meal Sites
Share Our Strength and First Book
Get brand new books into your program, just in time for summer learning! Thanks to support from C&S Wholesale Grocers, you can access $100 of free books from the First Book Marketplace! To choose your free books, all you have to do is sign up. Follow these steps to bring great books to your Summer Meals site.
- Sign up! Anyone serving kids from low-income families through a school, summer meal site, or other community organization is eligible to join.
- Visit the First Book Marketplace and check out the wide variety of resources available.
Grants do not appear to be offered at this time. Check their website for updates.
School Breakfast
Kids who eat breakfast do better at school
The problem: In Oregon, less than a third of all students are served breakfast on an average day.
The solution: Improving access by changing service models, engaging parents and students, and achieving great meal quality. Students do better when they start the day with a nutritious breakfast. Making breakfast a seamless part of the school day by changing how and when it is served so all students can access this important meal will have a huge impact on classrooms and schools.
Having breakfast at school ensures that all students get a nutritionally balanced start to their day, and supports greater health, cognition, and stronger participation in learning. Expanding breakfast access would also mean that many families experiencing a tight budget, non-traditional work hours, or a busy morning schedule, can be supported by the School Breakfast Program. Strong child nutrition programs also benefit School food nutrition departments financially, when they are able to reach more children with school breakfast; like options that feed all students at no charge, such as Provision 2 and Community Eligibility Provision, help yield federal reimbursement dollars to support strong programs and improve school meal quality.
Our motivation
The reality is that for many low-income families there are obstacles to providing a healthy morning meal each day. Prior to the Pandemic, 1 in 5 children were food insecure and 52% of students qualified for free and reduced priced meals in the state of Oregon. However, hunger rates in Oregon have heavily increased, and are reaching a low lower than the US average. Participation in the school breakfast program continues to be low. Only about 23 percent of all students participate in the School Breakfast Program, compared to the almost 50% who participate in the National School Lunch Program.
Barriers to Breakfast
In Oregon, the majority of schools serve School Breakfast before school starts and in the cafeteria. However, this traditional way of operating the school breakfast program doesn’t work for many students, and creates extra barriers for families who might have trouble accessing food.
Some common barriers include:
- Awareness. School lunch is well known, but families tend to hear less about school breakfast and their eligibility as it’s not always included in communications that are sent home
- Transportation or other access issues such as rushed morning schedules or buses not arriving in time for students to eat in the cafeteria before class
- Social stigma that eating breakfast at school is “only for low-income families”, especially amongst middle and high school students
- Lack of inclusivity of meals for different cultural groups or dietary needs
Strategies that move breakfast out of the cafeteria and into the classroom are the most successful at overcoming barriers to participation.
State Advocacy efforts: The Student Success Act
Oregon has been leading the nation in improving access to school meals. The Hunger-Free Schools provisions were signed into law by Governor Kate Brown on May 16, 2019 as part of the landmark Student Success Act, which addresses decades of disinvestment in Oregon’s schools. The Act has made a historic investment in school meals and will ensure no student goes hungry while at school, with provisions that address both the cost of meals and the way breakfast is served. Learn more at https://oregonhunger.org/hunger-free-schools/
The provision has three main components:
- It is expected to more than double the number of schools with universal free school meals. Kids at these schools will no longer feel singled out for eating school meals, and research shows eating school meals is great for student achievement
- For the remainder of public schools, Oregon has raised the income eligibility to 300% of the Federal Poverty Line. This matches eligibility for children’s health insurance to 300%. This will support families working paycheck-to paycheck who currently earn just too much to qualify for free school meals but still need assistance.
- Oregon has standardized the best practice of offering breakfast after the bell to students at schools with high rates of poverty. This means more students have access to school breakfast, which is linked to higher attendance and graduation rates, and higher incomes later in life.
If you are a school, site, or family who has been impacted by this legislation, please look below in the training and tools section or the success stories to learn more about different types of models. These changes were delayed by the COVID Pandemic and went into effect at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.
Over 310,000 Children
Over 310,000 Children
are eligible for free school breakfast, but only about 110,000 participate.
are eligible for free school breakfast, but only about 110,000 participate.
Help us connect more kids to school breakfast through the work of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.
Additional Resources
In Oregon, the majority of schools serve School Breakfast before school starts and in the cafeteria. However, this traditional way of operating the school breakfast program doesn’t work for many children, as it can create unnecessary barriers for low-income families.
Schools that move breakfast out of the cafeteria and after the bell are the most successful at overcoming barriers to participation and School Breakfast Program participation increases exponentially. This way of serving breakfast is called the Breakfast After the Bell model. It makes breakfast participation convenient by serving it in places children can easily access — in classrooms, in hallway kiosks, or even later in the morning. The way schools serve breakfast is customizable and frequent methods include: Grab and Go, Second Chance, or Breakfast in the Classroom.
Over 100 schools in Oregon have successfully made the switch to serving breakfast after the bell.
Interested in revamping your school’s breakfast program?
The first step in changing the way your school serves breakfast is to evaluate what service model would work best for their students and staff.
Download the below materials for best practices, resources, and local partners for offering DIY or structured activities.
FRAC Alternative Models Fact Sheet
Funding opportunities for child nutrition programs in Oregon, especially around the School Breakfast Program.
Oregon Department of Education Grants
The Oregon State Legislature has designated state funds for the expansion of summer and after school child nutrition programs, which includes adding new sites, moving to hot meals and adding new types of meals, including breakfast. Application information and materials can be found on the Department of Education website, or by contacting ODE CNP Specialist Kaitlin Skreen at [email protected]
The Oregon Department of Oregon has grants to support school breakfasts (contact Laura Allran at [email protected]) and to purchase equipment (contact Jennifer Parenteau at [email protected]). The Department of Education maintains a page of Breakfast after the Bell resources.
USDA grants
USDA currently offers Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities The current grant cycle is open until September 2022. State agencies competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), giving priority to high need schools (i.e., schools in underserved areas, schools with limited access to other resources, and age of food service equipment) where 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
These funds will allow SFAs to purchase equipment to serve healthier meals that meet the updated meal patterns, with emphasis on more fruits and vegetables in school meals, improve food safety, and expand access. For additional resources through USDA, please visit their grants page.
Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council Grants
ODN’s school grants have been awarded for the 2022-23 school year. For more information, Contact Crista Hawkins at [email protected]
Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign
The No Kid Hungry campaign frequently has opportunities for School Breakfast Program funding, check their website for updates. This includes the No Kid Hungry and Kellogg School Breakfast Grant. If you have any questions about the application, please contact via email at [email protected] or call 202-649-4342.
Model Programs
Schools across Oregon have found that substantially more children eat breakfast when it is served after the bell and free of charge for all students, when viable. By offering breakfast after the bell, as part of the school day, schools can eliminate barriers such as bus schedules and stigma that get in the way of students eating this important meal.
Breakfast after the Bell programs can look many different ways. Common models for this type of breakfast program are: Breakfast in the Classroom, Grab and Go breakfast, and Second Chance breakfast.
Universal Breakfast, where breakfast is offered at no cost to students, is a helpful addition to any breakfast model, as it removes the financial barriers students may face when participating in School Breakfast Programs. Offering breakfast at no cost increases breakfast participation, and removes stigma lower-income students often face when they eat breakfast at school. Schools can enroll in a few federal programs to assist with offering universal breakfast, including the Community Eligibility Provision and Provision 2.
Second Chance Breakfast
This model is effective for middle or high school students who may not be hungry first thing in the morning, don’t arrive in time, or prefer to socialize with friends in the morning before class. In a Second Chance Breakfast model, students eat breakfast during a break in the morning, often between first and second period. Schools often serve breakfast in the hallway using a Grab and Go model, or they can open the cafeteria to serve breakfast during the break.
School Spotlight: Woodburn High School, Woodburn School District
Learn more about Woodburn High School’s Second Chance Breakfast Program
Breakfast in the Classroom
In the Breakfast in the Classroom model, Students eat breakfast in their classroom after the official start of the school day. Students or staff deliver breakfasts to classrooms from the cafeteria via coolers or insulated rolling bags. Students eat while the teacher takes attendance, gives announcements and gets the day started. Up to 15 minutes can count as instructional time, the average length this model takes.
School Spotlight: Grandhaven Elementary, McMinnville School District
Learn more about Grandhaven Elementary’s Breakfast in the Classroom Program
Grab and Go
Students pick up breakfasts from mobile carts in areas that are convenient to students, such as hallways, entryways, or cafeterias. Students can eat in their classroom or in a common area before and after the bell has rung.
SNAP Outreach Strategies
There are many ways to reach Oregonians with information about SNAP. You can help spread the word about this vital food assistance program through SNAP outreach.
Learn more about SNAP
We know that it can feel daunting to share about SNAP especially when it seems like there’s a lot of information to convey. That’s why we provide in-person and online trainings. Our trainings address the basics of the program, navigating the application process, eligibility guidelines, effective outreach strategies, and how to provide application assistance in a simple way that helps you focus on the key information you need to know. Reach out to us if you are interested!
Underserved Populations
Outreach can focus on specific population groups that have lower SNAP participation rates. In particular, older adults, students of higher education, single adults 18 to 50 without children, and families with mixed immigration status participate at lower rates. This can be because of barriers like additional eligibility requirements or misinformation, difficulties with navigating the application process, stigma, or many other reasons.
One way to address barriers is to learn about the specific eligibility requirements that certain groups, like students and single adults 18 to 50, may need to meet. Another is to provide application assistance to people who may need extra help applying for SNAP, such as older adults.
Learn more about addressing SNAP eligibility and access for:
Find Support
We offer technical assistance and guidance with outreach strategies, resources and materials, and SNAP information.
We help individuals navigate their SNAP case if they encounter any issues or if they think a wrong eligibility decision was made.
Learn from others that conduct SNAP outreach throughout Oregon. Join O-SNAP, a statewide outreach listserv, participate in-person meetings or trainings, and get referrals to organizations doing this work in your area.
Connect with our SNAP outreach team
Angelita Morillo
Policy Advocate, SNAP
Email: [email protected]
Together, we can end hunger in Oregon
Summer Meals Support Fund
ATTENTION: We are no longer offering Summer Meals Support Fund grants. See information below on how to start up a summer meal site in your community
In 2020 we shifted from our usual summer meal grant program to emergency support grants. In 2021 we made the decision to end the grant program and to instead focus our resources on policy and administrative advocacy to ensure that programs for summer and school meals are well funded and flexible in providing as much access for kids as possible.
Visit the Oregon Department of Education’s website to learn more about starting up, or improving, a summer meal site in your community.
You can also learn about Start Up and Expansion Grants for summer meal and afterschool meal programs on the Oregon Department of Education Website.
TESTIMONIAL
“Grant County might be small but we have a lot of mouths to feed. Without these funds we would not be able to help fight hunger in Oregon and make sure no kid goes without summer meals.”
Kimberly Ward, Office Manager, John Day Canyon City Parks and Recreation District