Project Bread

09/28/2026

Last week, Project Bread President and CEO Erin McAleer was honored with the Legacy of Service Award at the Ethos Gala. Paula Tobon, Project Bread Council of Experts Ambassador, joined Erin as her guest.

Thank you, Ethos, for recognizing Erin’s leadership and longstanding commitment to building a healthier, more equitable, and food-secure Massachusetts. Under Erin’s leadership, Project Bread has expanded its statewide reach, strengthened advocacy efforts, and helped secure landmark legislation making free school meals permanent for all Massachusetts students.

The award celebrates Erin’s dedication to ending hunger through both direct food access and systems-level change, as well as the many partnerships and people who make that work possible.

09/25/2026

Jeanne Johnson, School Nutrition Director for Food & Nutrition Services at Dedham Public Schools, set out to improve school breakfast. Her goal was to offer students meals they would genuinely look forward to, making participation easier and more appealing. Learn how Dedham High School boosted breakfast participation with support from Project Bread. https://projectbread.org/news/project-bread-school-breakfast-grant

09/24/2026

🍳 At Food & Nutrition Services at Dedham Public Schools and Triton Food Services, Project Bread's School Breakfast Grant gave their breakfast programs a boost. From making breakfast more appealing to removing barriers to access, learn about how they leveraged the grant and how you can apply for one.

Learn how Project Bread School Breakfast Grants helped schools with breakfast participation and the benefits of applying for one.

09/23/2026

When Jeanne Johnson, School Nutrition Director for Food & Nutrition Services at Dedham Public Schools, wanted to rethink school breakfast, she wanted to give students something they’d actually be excited to eat and make it easier for them to participate.

Last school year, with support from a Project Bread school breakfast grant, Dedham revamped and expanded breakfast at three schools.

At Dedham High School, that meant an additional hour of breakfast in the cafeteria after the morning bell, plus a Grab & Go option to get students to class faster, along with new, fresh, customizable breakfast options.

One morning, students could build their own acai bowls, starting with a scoop of blended acai and adding toppings like mango, blackberries, granola, mini pancakes, and honey.
The result? Breakfast participation at Dedham High School increased by 25%.

“Seeing students embrace a healthy new food concept and become excited about it was incredibly rewarding,” said Jeanne. “It reinforced the importance of exposing students to fresh, homemade, and customizable breakfast options that help build lifelong healthy eating habits.”

When we invest in school meals, we invest in students’ success, while helping make healthy food something kids are excited to choose. Explore our work and the impact your support makes possible at projectbread.org/feeding-kids

09/22/2026

🎒🍏 With the school year in full swing, Project Bread staff are taking a trip down memory lane by sharing their favorite school meals. What was your favorite school meal? Share in the comments!

09/22/2026

New federal rules are changing access to SNAP in Massachusetts, and food banks and pantries are feeling the impact.

Since November, SNAP enrollment in Massachusetts has fallen by 16%: about 167,000 people, including more than 60,000 children. At the same time, food assistance providers are seeing more people turn to pantries for help.

Project Bread’s Director of Public Policy, Leran Minc, says Massachusetts is facing an “access crisis,” with high call volumes and staffing shortages making it difficult for people to reach the Department of Transitional Assistance.

Read the full story:

New federal rules are changing who qualifies for food assistance in Massachusetts, and food banks say they’re seeing the impact.

09/21/2026

Ok, be honest...how many times a day does your kid call you “bruh”? 😂

We get that getting kids to try something new can be a whole thing.

But if your kid is skipping school breakfast or school lunch because they’re not sure about it, there are ways to make the whole thing feel a little less intimidating (and a lot more fun):

🍎 Checking out the menu together
👯 Finding a buddy who eats school breakfast
🎯 Setting a goal, or starting with just eating one school breakfast a week
💬 Asking what they actually don’t like about it

can mean less morning stress, more fuel for learning, and one less thing to pack, plan, and pay for. It's well worth building the habit and laying the groundwork for your kids to eat at school.

When you talk to your kids about eating at school: bruh. The breakfast is free.

We’ve got more tips for talking with your kids about eating free school meals and helping them give them a try. 👉 https://projectbread.org/news/talking-to-your-kids-about-eating-school-meals

09/21/2026

🌟 Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! 🌟

Arlington Public Schools, MA celebrated with a delicious Arroz con Pollo Bowl, featuring a recipe developed by Project Bread.

The Arroz con Pollo bowl was a hit. At Arlington High School, students enjoyed scratch-made sofrito, corn pico de gallo, pickled red onions, and lime crema. And what better way to top it all off than with a cinnamon churro? Meals like this help make school lunch something students look forward to: welcoming, delicious, and culturally inspired.

We’re celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with delicious, culturally inspired meals. Visit our recipe index: https://projectbread.org/recipes
⁠⁠
Photo credit: Arlington Public Schools

09/18/2026

Breakfast is known as the most important neal of the day! Learn about how eating school breakfast fuels students’ success in and out of the classroom: https://projectbread.org/news/how-school-breakfast-fuels-student-success

09/17/2026

How did Triton Middle School increase participation in their school breakfast program by 45% in just 8 months?

Triton High School had already found success with their breakfast program, using the Second Chance breakfast model, where four breakfast carts made grabbing breakfast on your way to first period easy for kids to fuel up. With that success as a foundation, the district saw an opportunity to bring more of that momentum to Triton Middle School.

With support from a Project Bread grant, the district added a breakfast cart on the middle school’s third floor, extending access through homeroom, passing periods, and even first period. The School Nutrition Director also worked with administrators to remove a longstanding barrier and allow students to eat breakfast in their classrooms.

At the end of the school year, students were asked to recognize a teacher or staff member who had made a difference in their lives. One student chose the cafeteria employee running the new breakfast cart. ❤️

“Increasing access to breakfast while serving delicious and healthy options has made such an impact on children's lives,” said Sarah Littmann, Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Triton Regional School District.

The impact didn’t stop at Triton Middle School. After seeing the program’s success, district leaders decided to expand Breakfast After the Bell and Breakfast in the Classroom to every school. One breakfast cart helped spark a district-wide change.

Explore our work and the impact your support makes possible at projectbread.org/feeding-kids