2019 Better with Breakfast Initiative
2020 NACo Achievement Award Winner
Oakland County, Mich., MI
Best In Category
About the Program
Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)
Year: 2020
In March 2019, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners (BOC) announced its partnership with United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) and Oakland Schools, the county’s intermediate school district, to implement the largest countywide universal school breakfast program in the State of Michigan. Oakland County Better with Breakfast (OCBWB) provides breakfast to all students in schools where 40 to 100 percent of students qualify for Free or Reduced Price (FRP) meals. These qualifying school buildings are supplied with new equipment, technical support and food to feed every student. The heart of the program lies in its universality. Providing all students with breakfast, including those who do not qualify for FRP meals, helps reduce the stigma of accepting the food for those who do qualify and helps ensure all students are ready to learn. Additionally, increasing breakfast access brings in additional federal reimbursement for schools. OCBWB helps more students benefit from the advantages of eating breakfast by removing access barriers for all students, and addresses funding gaps that are challenges for running universal breakfast programs.