Project Bread

Great advice from my colleague Leran Minc , Director of Policy Project Bread https://lnkd.in/e6NA3pDB

Exciting news! Thanks to a generous donation from Hannaford Supermarkets, we’re increasing access to free, nutritious meals for kids in Massachusetts, where 1 in 5 households with children are facing hunger. Together with partners like Hannaford, we’re fighting hunger and ensuring every child can thrive! This donation supports our work to feed kids in schools. Pictured here is the vibrant breakfast scene at Clark Avenue Middle School in Chelsea. “Nourished children are the bedrock of our future in Massachusetts, and at Project Bread, we are focused on providing critical support to schools and community partners to ensure all children can eat nutritious meals each day,” said Erin McAleer, President and CEO of Project Bread. “We are proud to partner with Hannaford in our mission to end hunger because their investments in feeding children today, throughout the school year and during the summer season, will lead to sustainable change and positive health outcomes for generations to come.”

Project Bread's 57th Walk for Hunger is just two months away. But it's not too late to be a part of this hallmark Boston event! The Walk presents ways to engage corporate employees through forming a team to fundraise and complete the Walk on Boston Common, being a sponsor for the event, or exploring options creating your own event at a time that works for your organization via our "Walk Your Own Way" initiative. While there are lots of ways to get involved, the goal is the same: to raise awareness and support for ending hunger for good in Massachusetts. Register today at give.projectbread.org/walk or email Arielle Dubowe, MA at [email protected] to learn more about our corporate partner opportunities. #WalkForHunger #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #CorporatePartnership #CorporateSponsorship #GivingBack #events

?? Join us on Boston Common for our 57th Walk for Hunger on May 4! The Walk for Hunger is the longest-running pledge walk in the US. Be a part of history while making history with us. Don’t miss out on this iconic event. Register for free at give.projectbread.org/walk #WalkforHunger #WFH25

Republican leaders in Congress are seeking to extend and expand tax breaks for the richest American households and businesses. To pay for them, they're targeting SNAP, Medicaid, and child nutrition programs. If this proposal is accepted and passed by lawmakers, America’s most vulnerable will suffer. Tell Congress today: Don’t gut SNAP, Medicaid, and Child Nutrition ???projectbread.org/act

Excited to see that The Bay State Banner covered the Legislative Briefing we held related to Food is Medicine and the importance of addressing food access in health care.

?? As #NationalSchoolBreakfastWeek (NSBW) concludes, we highlight Worcester School District and Seekonk High School. On Thursday, Project Bread joined Worcester's Lead Chef Trainer, Matt Dalbec, at South High School to sample a new breakfast recipe featuring blueberry compote served with waffle sticks. The same day at Seekonk High School, the nutrition staff served a record 225 students, thanks to the efforts of School Nutrition Director Steve Defonsca and High School Kitchen Manager Jen Sawfford. Students enjoyed apple pie and carrot cake overnight oat samples. The kitchen buzzed with the sounds of freshly blended strawberry banana smoothies alongside breakfast sandwiches, melons, parfaits, and fruit cups, all of which quickly disappeared. A new merchandising refrigerator and a commercial-grade blender helped create a smoothie shop atmosphere, supported by Project Bread’s breakfast grant. Students who start their day with a nourishing school breakfast attend class ready to learn, score higher on tests, and have a higher attendance rate. Why is eating free school meals a no-brainer? Learn by reading our blog post ?? https://lnkd.in/ewqwD7vg

Thank you to Project Bread's Vice President of Engagement Catalina Lopez-Ospina and Director of Community Partnerships, Adriana Mendes-Sheldon for sharing their advocacy for community-based solutions to food insecurity in conversation with Tisch Scholar Ayub Nur at today's Civic Life Lunch. We are so grateful for your leadership and message of hope. "Food insecurity is a huge problem, but it's a solvable problem if we all work together."

????? Happy National School Breakfast Week! ????? This week, we celebrate the positive impact of free school breakfast on students. A healthy morning meal helps improve concentration, boosts energy levels, and supports overall well-being. Since Massachusetts began offering free school meals to all students, 73,500 more children are enjoying school breakfast daily (comparing October 2019 to October 2023). Last year, Project Bread collaborated directly with 136 school districts to enhance their breakfast programs, providing customized, one-on-one support tailored to each district's needs. Let’s ensure that kids can fuel up with wholesome options that prepare them for success in the classroom and beyond! Learn more at ?? https://lnkd.in/eSa_Merg

Last night, House Republicans passed a “budget resolution” that proposes catastrophic cuts to basic needs programs that provide support for low-income families across the Commonwealth. At a time when both food security and grocery prices remain high, it is unconscionable that any political leader would make it harder for families to access the food and health care they need. This process, called budget reconciliation, will take months to unfold, and nothing has changed in any program because of last night’s vote. But make no mistake — these cuts pose a direct threat to food access, and we must act now to stop them. In the coming weeks, additional details will emerge on the size and scope of these proposed cuts, but we’ll strongly oppose all proposals that weaken access to food. At today’s Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Forum, Governor Maura Healey noted that 1.2m MA residents will lose food assistance if this federal budget advances into law. The good news is that this process is just the beginning. We have defeated these types of proposals before. We can and will do it again. Join us and act now by messaging Senator Markey, Senator Warren, and your representatives. We are grateful to have their support, but we need them to vocally oppose cuts to basic needs programs and to strongly urge their colleagues to do the same. Act now ?? https://lnkd.in/eg8shrBK