School Based Nutrition and Child Hunger Relief
Programs School Breakfast and Summer Food
Service Outreach
October 2011
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
www.doe.mass.edu
This document was prepared by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members
Ms. Maura Banta, Chair, Melrose
Ms. Harneen Chernow, Vice Chair, Jamaica Plain
Dr. Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Milton
Mr. Gerald Chertavian, Cambridge
Mr. Matthew Gifford, Chair, Student Advisory Council, Brookline
Ms. Beverly Holmes, Springfield
Dr. Jeff Howard, Reading
Ms. Ruth Kaplan, Brookline
Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, Bridgewater
Mr. Paul Reville, Secretary of Education, Worcester
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner and Secretary to the Board
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Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148-4906. Phone: 781-338-6105.
© 2011 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
www.doe.mass.edu
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906
Telephone: (781) 338-3000
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
October 2011
Dear Members of the General Court:
I am pleased to submit this report School Based Nutrition and Child Hunger Relief Programs
School Breakfast and Summer Food Service Outreach pursuant to G.L. c. 15, § 1G(f) and
Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2009, line item 7053-1925.
Throughout the year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (Department)
outreach staff supported the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and Summer Food Service
Program (SFSP) as nutritional supports for families in the Commonwealth. Under the direction
of the Office for Nutrition, Health and Safety Programs, the child nutrition outreach program
coordinators at the Department and Project Bread -The Walk for Hunger worked with school
district staff and community organizations to expand and improve current programs, develop
new resources, and implement new outreach campaigns to address childhood hunger in
Massachusetts.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the eighth year of the State Universal School Breakfast
Program, the Department conducted a one-day statewide universal breakfast training for newly
eligible and returning schools. The Commonwealth provided funding for the Universal School
Breakfast Program to 39 school districts, offering a nutritious breakfast to more than 116,000
Massachusetts children in 260 schools. State Universal Breakfast funds were used to provide
breakfast to all children in schools with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced
price (F/R) school meals.
School administrators, food service personnel, and other school staff worked together to make
breakfast a regular part of the school day. As noted in the attached report, research continually
confirms that there are significant academic- and health-related benefits to providing breakfast at
school to students.
Throughout FY10, the Department’s outreach coordinators worked with school districts to
promote ways to make breakfast a part of the school day. Outreach strategies were provided to
school nutrition directors, principals, and superintendents regarding how to overcome the
universal barriers associated with making breakfast model changes (such as switching to
Breakfast in the Classroom or Grab N’Go breakfast), and how to implement individualized
school site approaches. Schools received a variety of outreach materials and tools including
posters, handouts, flyers, and customizable letters to help promote their breakfast programs.
The Department strongly believes that having schools provide breakfast in the classroom, after
the bell, remains the simplest way to maximize participation in school breakfast, and ensure that
all students start the day ready to learn. Outreach staff from the Department supports school
districts by assisting them with their outreach efforts, and promoting the positive academic
benefits of students eating breakfast at school. Eating closer to class and test taking time allows
students to perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat breakfast at
home.
Massachusetts school districts received an increase of federal severe need reimbursement from
$28.7 million in FY09 to $29.8 million in FY10. Regular federal breakfast program
reimbursements increased from $32.5 million to $35.7 million in this same period. Managing
costs for breakfasts to support ways to include higher percentages of nutrient dense foods and to
address increased food costs overall continues to be a challenge.
The Commonwealth funds two SFSP grants annually to encourage new and existing sponsoring
agencies to operate new sites and/or increase participation or length of operation at existing sites.
Thirty-eight summer sponsors received a total of $530,000 in grant monies for FY10. Additional
federal reimbursement dollars have been made available through the continual streamlined
program reimbursement. Massachusetts received an increase in federal reimbursement for the
SFSP, from $6,031,045 in FY09 to $6,426,928 in FY10.
Incorporating outreach activities around marketing, food presentation and acceptability, locally
grown produce, enhanced nutrient standards, and food safety has helped to improve the overall
summer food service operation, and encouraged increased participation in the programs.
Nutrition education information and knowledge have been incorporated into the summer
programs. Providing grant funds for local program sites to hire outreach coordinators has
allowed for additional local marketing campaigns and expanded community involvement in the
SFSP. Grant opportunities have supported the development of effective strategies to improve
nutritional integrity, outreach, and local accessibility.
The breakfast and summer food programs are vital components for providing nutritious meals to
children throughout the Commonwealth to help them achieve academic success and overall good
health.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Table of Contents
Part 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
Part 2: Development, Goal, and Objectives of Outreach Program............................ 1
Part 3: School Breakfast Program Outreach Activities and Outcomes .................... 2
State Universal Breakfast Program ............................................................................. 2
Breakfast as Part of the School Day and Breakfast in the Classroom ......................... 4
School Breakfast Video Contest .................................................................................. 4
Outreach to Parent Information Centers and School Based Health Centers ............... 5
School Breakfast Program Federal Severe Need Reimbursement .............................. 5
Child Nutrition Outreach Collaboration ........................................................................ 5
Part 4: Summer Food Service Program Outreach Activities and Outcomes ........... 6
Program Needs Assessment and Outreach Development .......................................... 6
New Summer Food Service Program Initiatives .......................................................... 8
Massachusetts Summer Food Service Grant Program ............................................... 9
Summer Food Service Program Resources and Distribution ...................................... 9
Better Summer Meals Initiative .................................................................................. 10
Part 5: Closing Remarks ............................................................................................. 11
Appendix A: Statistical Information........................................................................... 12
Part 1: Introduction
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education respectfully submits this Report to the
Legislature pursuant to Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2009, line item 7053-1925, which reads in
relevant part:
“For the school breakfast program for public and nonpublic schools and for grants to
improve summer food programs during the summer school vacation period; provided,
that funds shall be expended for the summer food service outreach program and the
school breakfast outreach program; provided further, that within the summer food
program, priority shall be given to extending such programs for the full summer vacation
period and promoting increased participation in such programs…; provided further, that
funds shall be expended for the universal school breakfast program in which all children
in schools receiving funds under the program shall be provided free, nutritious breakfasts
at no cost to them; provided further, that subject to regulations of the board that specify
time and learning standards, breakfasts shall be served during regular school hours;
provided further, that participation shall be limited to those elementary schools
mandated to serve breakfast under section 1C of said chapter 69 where 60 percent or
more of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the federallyfunded school meals program; provided further, that the department shall select school
sites for programs authorized by this item not later than November 16, 2010, and shall
report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on the preliminary results
of these grants;…”
and G.L. c. 15, § 1G(f):
“The commissioner shall submit a report to the clerk of the house of representatives who
shall forward the same to the joint committee on education, arts and humanities on or
before December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and ninety-four and on December thirtyfirst of each year thereafter. The report shall include, but not be limited to: the
percentage of eligible children participating in school breakfast programs statewide
during the previous school year; the amount of additional federal dollars brought into
the state by all school breakfast and summer food service outreach program activities;
the number of additional school breakfast and summer food service programs started in
the preceding year; and the increase in participation in summer food services and school
breakfast programs.”
Part 2: Development, Goal, and Objectives of Outreach
Program
An Act establishing school-based Nutrition and Child Hunger Relief Programs was signed into
law on January 14, 1993. This law, Chapter 414 of the Acts of 1992, directed the Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) to establish a School
Breakfast Program (SBP) and a Summer Food Service Outreach Program (SFSP). The law’s goal
is to increase participation in both programs, with stated emphasis on increasing the participation
1
of low income children. The Department, in keeping with this mandate, established the following
objectives for SBP and SFSP outreach initiatives and activities:
1. Improve marketing strategies to increase participation in the School Breakfast Program
and Summer Food Service Outreach Programs.
2. Promote the programs as valuable resources for all children, families, schools, and
communities, including homeless and migrant families.
3. Increase the number of children who participate in the State Universal School Breakfast
Program (SUSBP)1 by promoting breakfast during the school day.
4. Work with meal providers to offer more nutritious and appetizing meals.
5. Recognize individuals who have been instrumental in the progress that has been made,
including food service directors and administrators.
6. Assist school districts and appropriate organizations in sponsoring and expanding the
programs.
7. Increase the involvement of superintendents, principals, and other local administrative
and advocacy groups in promoting and supporting school breakfast as an essential part of
the school day, and the SFSP as a community resource.
8. Develop creative strategies to remove barriers to program participation.
9. Review and improve current outreach materials, incorporating the use of technology.
10. Ensure that all activities and efforts are culturally sensitive to linguistic minorities.
In 2009 and 2010, the Department continued its contractual relationship with the Child Nutrition
Outreach Program at Project Bread – The Walk for Hunger, Inc., to assist in conducting outreach
efforts for these food programs.
Part 3: School Breakfast Program Outreach Activities and
Outcomes
State Universal Breakfast Program
In FY10, the Commonwealth provided $2,011,060 for the SUSBP (See Table 1). These funds
enabled 39 school districts to offer nutritious breakfasts to 116,168 Massachusetts children in
260 schools. SUSBP funds were used to provide breakfast to all children in eligible elementary
schools. The schools developed partnerships between administrators, food service personnel, and
other school staff to make breakfast a regular part of the school day. Providing breakfast to
students at school significantly improves students’ concentration, alertness, comprehension, and
standardized test scores.2
While all schools may participate in the federal School Breakfast Program (SBP) if they choose to do so, some schools may be
eligible for additional financial support through the State Universal School Breakfast Program (SUSBP), as described in G.L. c. 69, §
1C.
2
J. Larry Brown, William H. Beardslee, and Deborah Prothrow-Stith. “Impact of School Breakfast on Children’s Health and
Learning.” Sodexo Foundation. November 2008. Math and Science Partnership Network, accessed December 8, 2010.
1
2
Table 1. State Universal School Breakfast Program (SUSBP) 2008-09 and 2009-20103
Federal Funding
Number of Participating
SUSBP School Districts
Number of SUSBP
Participating Schools
Number of SUSBP
Participating Children
2008-09
$2,011,060
37
2009-10
$2,011,060
39
Percentage Change +/0
5.4+
250
260
4.0+
111,000
116,168
4.7+
Increasing Participation
Using data from school year 2008-2009, the Department’s Child Nutrition Outreach Program
identified elementary schools that were newly eligible to receive SUSBP funds, and worked with
the school principals and school nutrition directors in these communities to encourage them to
apply for funds by October 1, 2010. Of these 15 schools, 2 began new programs using available
funding: the Whittemore School in Waltham, and the Tilton School in Haverhill. Both schools
showed increased student participation in their breakfast programs from October 2008 to January
2010. The Whittemore School saw an increase in breakfast participation by over 5 percentage
points, from 23.5 percent (63 children) to 29 percent (84 children) Similarly, the Tilton School
saw an increase in participation by 2.7 percent, from 16.5 percent (104 children) to 19.0 percent,
(109 children), during this period.
In addition, the Department discussed strategies to increase breakfast participation with school
nutrition directors in the targeted outreach communities that did not have SUSBP eligible
schools, but had a high percentage of children eligible for F/R meals. Using the SUSBP
calculator, a tool that helps assess the financial benefits of increasing meal participation, project
the rates of participation following a breakfast change, calculate the changes in expenditure that
may result from increased participation, and compare revenue for different breakfast models with
and without extra state reimbursements using several different percentage scenarios, the
Department helped school nutrition directors calculate economic projections for participation in
the SUSBP.
The following is a hypothetical example of how the SUSBP calculator tool can be used to assess
the economic effect of serving a universally free-of-charge breakfast to all students who are
enrolled at the school site, assuming 89 percent participation for breakfast served in the
classroom after the bell and a high percentage of children participating. The SUSBP calculator
can analyze a program where breakfast is served currently in the cafeteria before the bell, and
compare current expenses and breakfast revenue to projected expenses and revenue for a SUSBP
that serves breakfast in the classroom after the bell. For example, if the school’s current breakfast
2
See Appendix A for the following data tables and charts: Chart 1 and Table 2: Percent of Needy Children
Participating in Summer Food Service Program or School Breakfast programs; Chart 2 and Table 3: Number of
School Breakfasts Served Statewide: Chart 3 and Table 4: Number of Participating Summer Food Service Program
Sites; Chart 3 and Table 5: Federal Reimbursements for the Summer Food Service Programs.
3
revenue before expenses with 18 percent breakfast participation is $2,283, then its projected
monthly revenue before expenses, assuming 80 percent participation, is $12,966. Therefore, the
current expenses (including labor, per meal food costs, non-food costs, transportation costs) are
$2,283 and projected expenses for the year are $9,422. The revenue after expenses is $1,997; the
school “loses” money every month on breakfast. The projected monthly revenue if the school
participates in the SUSBP, after expenses, is $3,544, a significant improvement in revenue.
Based on a SUSBP calculator analysis, the Sheffield School in Gill-Montague began to offer
breakfast free-of-charge in October 2009. The school nutrition director determined that the
benefit of providing free meals was greater than the loss in revenue under its current program.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the eighth year of the SUSBP, the Department conducted a
one-day statewide universal breakfast training for schools newly eligible to participate and
returning schools. As part of the SUSBP statewide conference, the Department’s Child Nutrition
Outreach Program team presented on the calculator to demonstrate the analysis of the financial
benefits of starting SUSBP programs, and new breakfast models on an individual school or
district-wide basis.
Breakfast as Part of the School Day and Breakfast in the Classroom
Throughout FY10, the Department’s outreach coordinators continued to work with school
districts to promote making breakfast a part of the school day. Outreach strategies were provided
to school nutrition directors, principals, and superintendents on ways to overcome the common
barriers associated with making breakfast model changes, including switching to Breakfast in the
Classroom or Grab N’Go breakfast, and ways to implement individualized school site
approaches. Schools received a variety of outreach materials and tools such as posters, handouts,
flyers, and customizable letters to help promote their breakfast programs.
The Department strongly believes that having schools provide breakfast in the classroom, after
the bell, is the simplest way to maximize participation in school breakfast, and ensure that all
students start the day ready to learn. Outreach staff provides support to school districts by
assisting them in their outreach efforts to strengthen their Breakfast in the Classroom programs,
and promoting the positive academic benefits of students eating breakfast at school.
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program recognized the success of five schools (2 in New
Bedford, 1 in Salem, one in Fitchburg, and 1 in Springfield) that achieved 80 percentage or
higher breakfast participation.
School Breakfast Video Contest
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program began planning for a breakfast video contest for high
school students that will be launched in the winter of FY11. The contest will encourage teens to
submit a creative video that highlights the benefits of participating in school breakfast programs.
In preparation for launching the breakfast video contest this year, the Child Nutrition Outreach
4
Program met with Video Educators of New England about strategies for reaching out to media
educators and SchoolTube.com to discuss hosting the contest.
Outreach to Parent Information Centers and School Based Health
Centers
In FY10, the Child Nutrition Outreach Program conducted outreach to 19 Parent Information
Centers (PIC) and 21 School Based Health Centers (SBHC) in targeted communities throughout
Massachusetts to provide outreach materials for public distribution and to offer to conduct
presentations concerning the importance of school breakfast for good nutrition and successful
academic achievement. These efforts generated visits to SBHCs in Taunton and Salem, where
Program staff met with principals, nurses, and social workers to discuss methods to increase
participation in school breakfast and developed strategies to achieve these goals.
School Breakfast Program Federal Severe Need Reimbursement
In FY10, federal severe need reimbursement for Massachusetts school districts increased from
$28.7 million in FY09, to $29.8 million. Each school that serves breakfast receives the federal
severe need rate of reimbursement (adjusted annually) for each breakfast served if it meets the
eligibility requirement: 40 percent of the lunches served at the school in the 2 years immediately
prior must meet the free or reduce priced meals requirements. Regular federal breakfast program
reimbursements increased from $32.5 million in FY09, to $35.7 million in FY10. Managing
costs for breakfasts to include high percentages of nutrient dense foods, and addressing increased
food costs overall continues to be a challenge. Information about the breakfast cost calculator
and financial fact sheets for the School Breakfast Program are located on the outreach website,
www.meals4kids.org.
Child Nutrition Outreach Collaboration
To better distribute news and information about the child nutrition programs, the Department’s
Child Nutrition Outreach Program sent bimonthly Breakfast Brainstorm E-alerts to school
nutrition directors, principals, and community contacts throughout Massachusetts. E-alerts
included a brief description of the articles in the Brainstorm newsletters posted on
meals4kids.org and linked directly to the Brainstorm newsletter page of the website. Highlights
from this year’s Breakfast Brainstorms included information on school meals application
campaigns, direct certification descriptions, grant opportunities, outreach ideas and resources,
‘menu bytes,’ including breakfast messages, nutrition facts, and activities that school nutrition
directors can include on their monthly menus. The E-alerts also encouraged recipients to order
free breakfast promotional materials from Child Nutrition Outreach Program.
In October, outreach coordinators participated in an advocacy panel at the School Nutrition
Association of Massachusetts fall conference in Marlborough. Strategies were discussed for
creating greater access to school meal benefits among hard to reach families. Staff met with the
School Nutrition Association of Massachusetts’ (SNAM) executive committee members, to
5
brainstorm ways in which SNAM and Child Nutrition Outreach Program can work together to
better serve school nutrition directors.
In May, Department staff held a school nutrition directors' brainstorm meeting for a small group
of directors to share their challenges and successes and discuss common barriers to program
implementation. Topics that were discussed included misconceptions about the Summer Food
Service Programs, Breakfast in the Classroom, the timing of school lunch and recess, school
meal policies, social media, healthy food options, and resources that would be helpful for the
Child Nutrition Outreach Program to create for school nutrition directors. The Department’s
Child Nutrition Outreach Program also introduced the school breakfast video contest for FY11 to
get feedback from school nutrition directors on ways to engage youth and schools. The informal
meeting structure and small group size allowed for honest communication, effective idea sharing,
and helpful feedback.
Part 4: Summer Food Service Program Outreach Activities
and Outcomes
Program Needs Assessment and Outreach Development
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program used FY10 SFSP participation data, FY10 school data,
and census tract data to analyze area eligibility and to identify areas for SFSP expansion in
FY11. Between January and June, the outreach team contacted all existing sponsors to gauge
interest and willingness to take on new SFSP sites. Meetings were held in seven communities to
plan for the upcoming summer including Barnstable, Dennis/Yarmouth, Fitchburg, Framingham,
Holyoke, New Bedford, and Southbridge. Depending on the needs of the community,
participants discussed strategies for new sponsor and/or site development, Summer Food Service
Program outreach, staffing transitions, and budget cuts.
Fifteen program sponsors agreed to take on new sites in FY11, including Boston’s Community
Servings, Brockton, Chelsea (ICNA Relief Boston), Framingham, Greenfield, Haverhill,
Holyoke, Leominster, Lynn, Revere, Southbridge, Wareham, Westfield, Weymouth, and
Friendly House in Worcester.
The Department’s outreach team worked with several communities to enlist new SFSP sponsors
or introduce the program to the community for the first time. As a result of these efforts, there
were new sponsors in Chelsea (ICNA Relief Boston), and Barnstable (YMCA Camp Lyndon).
Two sites in non-targeted communities, Agawam and Saugus, will be receiving meals in FY11
through Westfield Public Schools and Lynn Public Schools, respectively.
Outreach staff worked with SFSP sponsor organizations that experienced staffing transitions,
including Tri-CAP in Malden, Boys and Girls Club in Waltham, and Southbridge Public
Schools, to help familiarize newly hired staff with the Program and their role as sponsor. In
addition to technical assistance and outreach support, staff provided new and potential sponsors
with SFSP sponsor toolkits, which includes useful information for new sponsors.
6
Several communities (Barnstable, Fitchburg, and New Bedford) were provided with the
following technical assistance and outreach support to ensure the stability and continuity of their
existing summer programs:
o Barnstable: In FY11 the previous Barnstable sponsor, Barnstable County Human
Services, said they could no longer assume sponsorship of the SFSP. Child Nutrition
Outreach Program convened a meeting with the former sponsor and the Cape Cod
YMCA to discuss potential sponsorship. Cape Cod YMCA made the decision to assume
sponsorship of the SFSP, maintaining all existing sites and adding one new site.
o Fitchburg: This year the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Fitchburg,
one of the two SFSP sponsors, resigned and left the department without a director
familiar with the Program. A meeting was held with the other Fitchburg sponsor and the
public schools, to discuss taking on new sites. The public schools decided to take on three
of the five park sites that were formerly sponsored by the Parks and Recreation
Department, with Mt. Wachusett Community College providing programming to children
at the two remaining sites. All previous Fitchburg sites were operational in FY11 thanks
to the collaboration between Fitchburg Public schools and the city of Fitchburg.
o New Bedford: This year the New Bedford Parks and Recreation Department lost the use
of two delivery vans, which they had used in previous years to deliver meals to sites. The
outreach coordinator arranged a meeting with the Parks and Recreation Department, the
vendor, the Superintendent of New Bedford, and the Department to discuss possible
solutions. As a result of the meeting, the sponsor agreed to close sites that had very low
participation and focus efforts on strengthening the program in sites that were more
successful. As a result, only one additional van was required to deliver food, which was
supplied by the vendor.
For FY11, the Child Nutrition Outreach Program sent 3,400 SFSP recruitment postcards to
potential sponsors, sites, and community agencies to identify new locations for the SFSP. This
was the first step in the Child Nutrition Outreach Program’s Summer Food Service Program
planning process, and it generated many inquiries about site eligibility. The Department’s Child
Nutrition Outreach Program received calls throughout the spring from individuals interested in
becoming a site or promoting the SFSP in their community.
Outreach staff presented at the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association (MRPA) in an
effort to develop the connection between municipal parks and recreation departments and
summer meal sites.
The outreach team identified two new school-based enrichment programs for site participation in
the Leominster Public Schools, at the Johnny Appleseed School and Samoset School. The local
sponsor assumed responsibility for these new sites in summer 2010, enabling an additional 200
students to participate in the SFSP.
7
New Summer Food Service Program Initiatives
The Department’s outreach team held the annual statewide SFSP kickoff event in February,
2010. Sponsors, vendors, and supporters of the SFSP as well as representatives from the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department, Project Bread, and numerous
presenters attended the event in Sutton, MA. The event focused on giving sponsors new and
innovative ideas to incorporate into their communities’ SFSPs. The event included an exhibition
of successful endeavors in various communities across the Commonwealth, an interactive SFSP
trivia game, new updates from the Department, a presentation on food safety by the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH), Bureau of Environmental Health, Food
Protection Program, and presentations and/or table exhibitions by a number of organizations that
were available to provide free or low cost services to summer programs. These programs
included the MA DPH Office of Oral Health, MA DPH SEAL Program, Boston Medical Center
HealthNet Plan, Farm to School, Hands On 4 Kidz, and Kool Smiles Dentistry.
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program presented free outreach materials intended to heighten
program visibility and discussed new initiatives for promoting SFSPs. Materials included
program banners, transit ads and ChaCha (a free mobile texting service) SFSP text service cards.
Other initiatives included volunteer outreach interns, programming support, and social media
techniques. After the event, staff sent out a summary letter to all invitees, and created a kickoff
page on the meals4kids.org website with all the information presented at the event.
Based on feedback received at the end of summer 2010, the SFSP banner was translated into
Spanish and both the English and Spanish versions are now customizable. Sponsors were given
the opportunity to order two free banners in the language(s) of their choice. As a result of
suggestions made during the February 2010 SFSP kickoff, the Child Nutrition Outreach Program
also designed customizable truck magnets in English and Spanish and offered these to sponsors
as well. In total, 89 banners were sent to 44 sponsors in 38 communities, and 34 truck magnets
were distributed to sponsors in 17 communities.
To encourage teenagers and pre-teens to participate in the Summer Food Service Program, the
Child Nutrition Outreach Program collaborated with ChaCha to have a free text message sent to
consumers using the service asking, “Where is the Summer Food Service Program in (list zip
code)” via cellular telephone to ChaCha. After July 1, kids, families, teachers, and community
members received a list of all open FY11 SFSP sites in their zip code. Outreach staff designed
and ordered 10,000 business cards with instructions to text ChaCha, and created 2 flyers to
promote this texting service. These materials were offered to all interested high schools, school
nutrition directors, and community organizations that work with older youth. A total of 8,279
ChaCha cards were distributed to 15 communities. One community designed a truck wrap for
their delivery van to promote the ChaCha texting service.
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program worked to recruit student interns to serve as SFSP
outreach coordinators for sponsors in the 36 communities. Internship descriptions were sent to
colleges and universities throughout Massachusetts advertising the positions, and were posted
online at Idealist.org. Student interns were placed with sponsors in Brockton and Boston to assist
with outreach during the summer FY10.
8
A section of the www.meals4kids.org website was translated to make it more accessible for
Spanish speakers. Specifically, two key pages were translated that contain information on how to
access Summer Food Service Program site lists. Summer meal site maps for SFSP are provided
on the Child Nutrition Outreach Program website to help Commonwealth residents locate “open”
SFSP sites that are currently operating in their neighborhoods. These sites are located in lowincome areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below
185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for F/R school meals. Meals are
served free to any child at the open site. Census data helps to determine the high need
communities that are in need of additional outreach efforts in order to create more open sites for
the community to use when school is closed and no school meals are available to low income
children. Using 2000 census data, the outreach staff collaborated with the Better Information
Group to begin updating existing summer meal site maps in order to identify high need
communities and target outreach efforts based on more recent data. In addition, the usability of
the current mapping utility that generates the Summer Food Service Program meal site maps was
improved for use in the summer of 2010.
Massachusetts Summer Food Service Grant Program
The Commonwealth funds two SFSP grants annually: (1) the Start-Up grant to encourage new
sponsoring agencies to sponsor new sites, and (2) the Expansion Grant to encourage existing
sponsoring agencies to sponsor new sites and/or increase participation or length of operation at
existing sites. All 28 summer sponsors that applied for grant monies received grants for FY10.
Some sponsors received both Start-Up and Expansion grants.
Eleven sponsors received monies under the Start-Up Grant in FY10, totaling $107,340. Grant
monies were used to plan and implement effective new summer programming efforts. Many
recipients hired outreach coordinators to promote these efforts. Additionally, funds were used for
advertising in local print and electronic media, public transit ads, community banners, equipment
for the storage and preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables to increase consumption of these
nutrient rich foods, food safety equipment and training.
The Expansion Grant funded 27 applicants in FY10, for total grant awards of $422,660.
Applicants in this grant category used funds to advertise and promote their programs through
community outreach and media (electric company mailings, billboards, newspapers,
Massachusetts transit posters). Additional monies were utilized for food safety equipment and
training, and general program related equipment purchases to enhance food preparation and
delivery.
Summer Food Service Program Resources and Distribution
Additional focused activities by school nutrition directors promoted programs by printing SFSP
messages and activities on their school menus. Also, outreach staff distributed electronic
versions of SFSP outreach materials and activity sheets to local farmers’ markets with Electronic
9
Benefits Transfer (EBT) machines for processing Food Stamp/Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) transactions. Additional contacts were made to homeless education
liaisons and to agencies that work with Project Bread to provide hunger screenings, Food
Stamp/SNAP application assistance, and outreach to the Latino community.
Outreach staff members expanded SFSP outreach to engage new community agencies to support
summer meal sites, including those agencies that may not necessarily focus on food. Agencies
statewide were contacted to discuss the SFSP and gauge their interest in providing free or low
cost programming to coordinate activities with existing SFSP sites.
In FY10, outreach staff worked with principals and school nutrition directors to encourage the
use of ConnectEd automated messaging to promote the SFSP to parents of school age children.
ConnectEd is an automated voice messaging system that school districts use to contact families
with prerecorded massages. All sponsors received 30-second templates in English, Spanish and
Portuguese for their use to promote the SFSP. These templates were also included in the
May/June Breakfast Brainstorm e-letter. Also, an e-alert was sent to homeless education liaisons
regarding communities with open summer meal sites encouraging them to order free materials
and inform the homeless students in their schools about the SFSP.
Collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) ensured that
letters were sent to DTA clients providing information in English and Spanish about summer
meal sites located within their clients’ zip codes. These letters generated 528 calls to Project
Bread’s FoodSource Hotline for additional information and assistance.
The Child Nutrition Outreach Program fulfilled all requests for SFSP materials. In the spring of
FY10, the following SFSP materials were distributed:
 Brochures: 37,749
 Door hangers: 8,811
 English/Spanish tear-pads: 2,734
 English/Portuguese tear-pads: 1,354
 Posters: 5,054
 ChaCha business cards: 8,279
Better Summer Meals Initiative
In FY10, outreach staff continued to work with sponsors and vendors to improve the quality of
their summer meals through Project Bread’s Better Summer Meals and Locally Grown Food
Initiatives. Sponsors in 14 of the targeted communities (Barnstable, Boston, Fitchburg,
Gloucester, Haverhill, Orange, Revere, Springfield, Framingham, Salem, Lynn, Lowell,
Waltham, and Woburn) continued to offer Better Summer Meals in the summer of 2010, and
Great Barrington joined the initiative.
Nineteen communities continued to participate in the Locally Grown Foods initiative. They
included: Adams, Barnstable, Boston, Chicopee, Gloucester, Greenfield, Holyoke, Lawrence,
Lowell, Methuen, Orange, Pittsfield, Salem, Somerville, Springfield, Waltham, Ware, Westfield,
10
and Woburn. Additional sponsors were encouraged to participate in the initiative, with two new
sponsors, Wareham and Haverhill, opting to offer locally grown foods in the summer of 2010.
Part 5: Closing Remarks
Throughout the year, Department staff addressed the benefits of the School Breakfast Program
and Summer Food Service Programs as nutritional supports for families in the Commonwealth.
Under the direction of the Office for Nutrition, Health, and Safety Programs, the child nutrition
outreach program coordinators at the Department and Project Bread worked with school district
staff and community organizations to expand and improve current programs, develop new
resources, and implement new outreach campaigns to address childhood hunger in
Massachusetts. Continued interest remains for both the Breakfast in the Classroom and the State
Universal Breakfast initiatives. There are many positive outcomes for students, teachers and
academic achievement when districts participate in these initiatives. As J. Michael Murphy,
Ed.D. at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School states, “over the past five
years, significant new evidence has documented the link between eating breakfast and learning.
Recent studies show that skipping breakfast is relatively common among children in the
U.S…and is associated with quantifiable negative consequences for academic, cognitive, health,
and mental health functioning.”4 Resources and guidance on implementation continue to be key
supports. The continual development of new resources has provided school districts with tools to
improve, promote, and strengthen existing breakfast programs and to create new ones. The
acceptance of breakfast as part of the school day, and assistance in financial management issues,
has allowed for continued program expansion and increased daily participation by students.
Outreach coordinators have provided program support in specific areas of management and
operations encompassing budgets, menu offerings, and nutritional content. Increased student
input and participation in the promotion of the breakfast programs have addressed
misconceptions about food quality and availability. Providing opportunities for programs to
share their successful models and discuss other methods to reach all eligible children has
improved and strengthened programs in all regions of the Commonwealth.
For summer programs, additional federal reimbursement dollars have been made available
through the continual streamlined program reimbursement. Massachusetts realized an increase in
Summer Food Service Program federal reimbursement, from $6,031,045 in FY09, to $6,426,928
in FY10. By incorporating outreach activities around marketing, food presentation and
acceptability, locally grown produce, enhanced nutrient standards, and food safety, summer food
services operations have improved and encouraged participation growth. In more programs,
nutrition education information and knowledge has been integrated into the summer day.
Providing grant funds to hire outreach coordinators for local program sites has allowed for
additional local marketing campaigns, and has expanded community involvement in the SFSP.
The availability of additional grant opportunities from various entities for these programs has
allowed for the development of effective strategies to improve nutrition programs, outreach, and
accessibility.
4
J.M. Murphy, “Breakfast and Learning: An Updated Review.” Journal of Current Nutrition and Food Science (2007): 3.
11
Appendix A: Statistical Information
Chart 1. Percent of Low Income Children Statewide Participating in SFSP or School
Breakfast
Chart 1: PERCENT OF NEEDY CHILDREN STATEWIDE PARTICIPATING IN SFSP OR SCHOOL BREAKFAST
60
50
PERCENT %
40
30
20
10
0
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
FISCAL YEAR
Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010
Table 2. Percent of Low Income Children Statewide Participating in School
Breakfast
Fiscal
Year
Participants
Fiscal
Year
Participants
1993
28.9
1994
29.3
1995
30.5
1996
30.9
1997
31.6
1998
31.9
1999
34.8
2000
40.2*
2001
39.8
2002
40.4
2003
38.4
2004
39.2
2005
39.5
2006
40.9
2007
42.1
2008
42.7
2009
46
2010
48
* In 2000, the calculation method was revised to provide a more accurate reflection of actual program
participation.
12
Chart 2. Percent of Low Income Children Statewide Participating in School Breakfast
Chart 2: SCHOOL BREAKFASTS SERVED STATEWIDE
$25,000,000
$22,500,000
CLAIM DOLLARS
$20,000,000
$17,500,000
$15,000,000
$12,500,000
$10,000,000
$7,500,000
$5,000,000
$2,500,000
$0
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
FISCAL YEAR
Table 3. Number of School Breakfasts Served Statewide by Year
Fiscal Year
Breakfasts
Fiscal Year
Breakfasts
Fiscal Year
Breakfasts
1993
12,974,839
1999
17,811,196
2005
20,947,787
1994
14,025,845
2000
18,612,759
2006
21,828,681
1995
15,248,591
2001
19,516,468
2007
22,643,155
1996
15,890,238
2002
20,261,470
2008
23,321,039
1997
16,735,865
2003
20,139,328
2009
23,469,123
1998
17,113,689
2004
20,246,056
2010
23,750,650
Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010
13
Chart 3. Number of Participating Summer Food Service Program Sites
Chart 3: NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM SITES
900
800
SITE NUMBER
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
FISCAL YEAR
Table 4. Number of Massachusetts Participating Summer Food Service Program Sites
Fiscal Year 1993
Sites
424
Fiscal Year 2002
Sites
739
1994
509
2003
614
1995
553
2004
671
1996
559
2005
719
1997
555
2006
760
1998
596
2007
780
1999
614
2008
760
2000
722
2009
818
2001
713
2010
822
Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010
14
Chart 4. Federal Reimbursements for the Summer Food Service Program
Chart 4: FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM
$7,000,000
CLAIM DOLLARS
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997 **
1996
1995
1994
FISCAL YEAR
Table 5. Federal Reimbursements in Dollars for Massachusetts Summer Food Service
Programs
Fiscal Year
Reimbursements
Fiscal Year
Reimbursements
Fiscal Year
Reimbursements
1993
2,452,139
1999
4,410,708
2005
4,403,704
1994
2,889,330
2000
4,746,550
2006
4,700,000
1995
2,229,505
2001
4,828,138
2007
5,134,141
1996
3,642,503
2002
5,134,627
2008
5,924,438
1997
3,434,177**
2003
4,215,778
2009
6,031,045
1998
3,896,776
2004
4,254,066
2010
6,426,928
Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010
15