Mobilize the entire community around breakfast programs!

Every year, the Club surveys the schools in its network to get a better understanding of the impact of breakfast programs, the challenges encountered, and above all, the creative solutions implemented by teams on the ground. 

Using different communication channels 

A number of schools have rallied a wide circle of people around their program: staff members, student volunteers, parents, grandparents, alumni, and local businesses and organizations. 

However, recruiting beyond school staff, sometimes requires using several communication channels, such as: 

– Newsletters for parents 

– Postings on social media 

– Banners on the school website 

– Ads in local newspapers 

– Announcements on the municipal website 

Looking for tools to help you with your recruitment?
Use our posters and visuals for social media in the Volunteers and School Community section of School’s Corner!

Involving students at different levels 

Whether you bring them on as recurring volunteers or simply have them help make their own breakfast, involving students in your breakfast program is a common and highly beneficial practice. These opportunities can help develop students’ kitchen skills through age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities. 

Some programs rely on rotating several teams of students, while others opt to involve specialized classes, students in grade 5 or 6, or partnerships with nearby high schools. 

 Did you know we have a Student Volunteers Toolkit? It contains a wide range of tools, such as examples of age-appropriate task, recognition certificates, and much more! 

Joining forces to better spread out tasks 

A larger network of people will allow you to better distribute tasks, alleviate the pressure on everyone, offer more flexible hours and involve people with limited availability. 

Here are some ideas culled from your breakfast programs: 

– Have a schedule that allows for a rotation of the people involved (Monday team, Tuesday team, etc.). 

– Have two designated people who alternate every other week to do the shopping or use a delivery service. 

– Incorporate some of the program’s tasks with those of school team members who want to get involved (e.g. managing the online order once a week, cleaning the refrigerator once a month). 

– Have a plan B: Arrange for substitutes in case of absences, and train several staff members in key tasks to cope with unforeseen events. 

Here’s a tool to help you structure the distribution of responsibilities related to breakfast programs.

Raising awareness about the importance of the program within the school community 

What better way to get everyone behind a project than with a presentation? This is what several schools have done, presenting the program to all staff and parents at their first back-to-school meetings. Others have opted to approach their governing boards and parents’ committees, asking them directly for help in recruiting volunteers, for example. 

These strategies are a great opportunity to make the whole school community aware of how important the program is. They also create a sense of ownership generate excitement, which is sure to inspire others to get involved. 

Click here for a turnkey awareness-raising tool.

Extending the program beyond the school walls 

Promoting the breakfast program in the community has enabled some schools to seek other forms of support. 

Here are few examples based on your experiences: 

– Share posts with local newspapers or on the municipality’s social media to publicize the program. 

– Organize a community breakfast open to parents and grandparents or local organizations. 

– Directly solicit local businesses for support (e.g., ask local grocery stores to donate imperfect fruit and vegetables). 

These innovative ideas can strengthen the relationship between the community and breakfast programs, while encouraging the involvement of new people and opening the door to new partnerships. 

They’re also great ways to highlight all the work that’s been done, and to publicly thank everyone involved! 

Click here for a sample donation solicitation letter.

We appreciate your generosity in sharing your experiences on the ground. Thanks to your involvement and ability to innovate in serving children, they have access to a nutritious breakfast through your programs every morning!