New Jersey - Breakfast After the Bell is a crucial hunger initiative that allows for schools across the state to provide nutritious meals to students in need. As a result of today's bill signing, the program will be expanded to K-12 schools with high rates of poverty, with the schools providing the meals after the bell in classrooms or through a "grab and go" option.
The legislative effort was led by the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition in partnership with Tusk / Montgomery Philanthropies (TMP), the family foundation of venture capitalist and political strategist Bradley Tusk. In addition to today's legislative victory, TMP recently worked with legislative leaders and Governor Cuomo to secure Breakfast After the Bell for New York students. TMP has also worked to enact similar school breakfast legislation in Tennessee, Washington state, Illinois and Pennsylvania. In total, more than 1.5 million students will now be able to receive a nutritious breakfast in their school, which is critical to their ability to learn and achieve success in the classroom.
Bradley Tusk said: "150,000 kids in New Jersey will now have school breakfast thanks to Governor Murphy and the state Assembly, building on our efforts in states across the country. In addition to the Governor's leadership, I want to thank Assembly members Pamela Lampitt, Shavonda Sumter, Arthur Barclay for sponsoring the bill, as well as Assembly members Huttle and Jasey for co-sponsoring. I also want to thank Senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Shirley K. Turner, and our partners at the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition, especially Adele LaTourette and Nancy Parello. Today's victory in New Jersey, along with victories in New York, Tennessee, and Washington this session, means more than 1.5 million students will have been fed and can focus on their schoolwork. This is a common sense approach to improving educational opportunities for students, and we look forward to continuing this work in other states in the future."
