New Hanover and Pender County schools receive grants to expand school breakfast

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Schools in New Hanover and Pender counties will receive part of $1.3 million in grants to expand access to school breakfast.

On Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that 42 public school districts and public charter schools across the state would receive NC Innovative School Breakfast grants.

Grants will be provided to school districts and charter schools that implement innovative school breakfast models to expand student participation in school breakfasts. These models include breakfast in the classroom, second chance breakfast, and breakfast to go.

Funds will be used to purchase kitchen equipment to increase meal preparation capacity and serving equipment to more easily and efficiently distribute meals to students. Some programs have already started and others will begin during the next school year.

“Our public schools not only provide safe places for children to learn, but also provide healthy meals to students who sometimes face food insecurity at home,” said Governor Cooper. “These grants will help more public schools provide breakfast to children in class so they can start their day ready to learn and succeed.”

Public schools offer free or reduced-price meals to children, and nearly 60 percent of North Carolina public school students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Many children rely on these school meals for their daily nutritional needs. Nearly one in six children in North Carolina live in households without consistent access to food.

The selected school districts and charter schools are:

• Alexander County Schools
• Arapahoe Charter School
• Asheboro City Schools
• Buncombe County Schools
• Cabarrus County Schools
• Catawba County Schools
• Cherokee County Schools
• Cleveland County Schools
• Craven County Schools
• Durham Public Schools
• Edgecombe County Public Schools
• Graham County Schools
• Greene County Public Schools
• Guilford County Schools
• Guilford Preparatory Academy Charter School
• Halifax County Schools
• Henderson College
• Henderson County Public Schools
• Iredell-Statesville Schools
• Johnston County Public Schools
• Madison County Schools
• Mitchell County Schools
• New Hanover County Schools
• Northeast Carolina Preparatory School
• Pamlico County Schools
• Pender County Schools
• Polk County Schools
• Robeson County Schools
• Rockingham County Schools
• Rowan-Salisbury Schools
• Rutherford County Schools
• Sampson County Schools
• Surry County Schools
• Swain County Schools
• Transylvania County Schools
• Tyrrell County Schools
• Union County Public Schools
• Wake County Public School System
• Washington County Schools
• Wilkes County Schools
• Wilson County Schools
• Yadkin County Schools