Governor Steve Bullock today announced that Montana No Kid Hungry has been awarded $65,000 from the Montana Commission on Community Service to place AmeriCorps members in communities across Montana to help alleviate childhood hunger.

In Montana, one in five children struggle with hunger. Through the Montana No Kid Hungry AmeriCorps Program, members will leverage No Kid Hungry efforts by working with local school-based leaders and stakeholders to increase participation in school breakfast programs.

“Through hands-on service, members will be able to provide on the ground support to serve a greater number of kids and make a significant impact with available resources,” said Governor Steve Bullock.  “I am proud to announce this program that will put us one step closer to ensuring that no child goes hungry in Montana.”

Research shows that alternative breakfast models, such as Breakfast in the Classroom and Grab n’ Go, increase participation by 75 percent and provide children with a meal they need to start the day. On average, students who eat breakfast perform 17.5 percent higher on mathematics standardized tests, are more likely to attend more days of school, and therefore, are more likely to graduate high school.

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