New Grant Program will help fuel kids' breakfasts
09 May 2013
By: Mary Jo White DELTA TWP. — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan are teaming up in an effort to help schools with breakfast programs. The “Building Healthy Communities Through Breakfast” program will provide a total of $250,000 in grants to Michigan schools to assist them with starting or maintaining their morning meal efforts.Grants of up to $3,000 for smaller schools and $9,000 for large schools will be made available. Schools can use the money for such things wheeled insulated cooler bags, breakfast carts or reimbursable meal vending machines. All Michigan K-12 public, charter and private nonprofit schools are eligible. Each school must start, expand or sustain a breakfast program that allows students to eat in their classrooms. “A healthy breakfast gives kids the energy needed to grow, learn and play,” said registered dietitian Shannon Carney Oleksyk, Blue Cross’ healthy living adviser. “Encouraging and supporting healthy behaviors at a young age can lead to a lifetime of healthy choices.” Forty-two percent of kids...