“I have taken care of many children for more than 20 years. I bring them to school. I support this program because a lot of children don’t eat breakfast at home. The truth is many of them don’t have anything to eat at home.”
-Catalina Ramos
“We live way across town and have to leave early to get to school on time. Sometimes there’s no time for breakfast, so it’s great to have this program just in case.”
-Erik Powell
“I work and go to school. Sometimes I get out of my shift at 3am so it’s difficult in the morning … With this program, breakfast becomes a routine for the kids. I’ve seen the difference in my son. He is reading better. I’ve only seen positive changes. Kids get to school on time. They are eating healthier and building good habits.”
-Estela Tejeda
“There’s tons and tons of data to support the fact that if they have food in the morning, the kids have better concentration and are better able to learn … And it’s a great little bonding time in the class with the children eating together with their teacher.”
-Alice Williams
“I like the program because the children can’t even play if they are hungry, much less pay attention to the teacher in class. There’s a lot of kids who cry because they are hungry … I also like (Breakfast in the Classroom) because my son helps out to distribute the breakfasts and he is very motivated by this. He is learning about being responsible.”
-Elsa Marina Matute
“The children get up really early to come to school and don’t have an appetite when they wake up. They are hungry when they get to school so this program is good for them.”
-Leticia Melendez
“I feel better knowing that my children are having breakfast in class.”
-Jareni Mora
“The children like eating breakfast with their classmates. Sometimes they even eat healthier because they try foods their classmates are eating.”
-Arcadia Alejo
“This program helps our children physically and mentally. It’s not pleasant to try and study on an empty stomach. I think it’s hard to focus on anything if you’re hungry.”
-Tomas Avitia
“Many children want to eat breakfast in the classroom because they can eat together with their classmates … That’s important to me because my child is autistic and eating with the other children helps him to socialize … Since the program was started, I’ve seen a difference in my child. He is happier when he comes to school. He’s the first one to get here.”
-Judith Morales
“I have to support this because it helps the children be more alert and awake in the morning.”
-Lydia Deras
“Before this program, my daughter wasn’t eating breakfast in school. She didn’t want to be in the cafeteria all by herself. A lot of times the little children just don’t eat on their own.”
-Teodora Hernandez
“I prefer for the children to eat in the classroom because it’s too cold outside in the morning. My daughter has asthma. It’s not right to take (this program) away. It helps the children develop good habits, like cleaning up after themselves.”
-Francisca Hernandez
“I’m a nursing assistant with a fluctuating schedule. Sometimes I don’t get home until 7:00 a.m. That only gives me time to get my son dressed and there’s no time for breakfast at home, so this program is heaven for us.”
-Denise Espinoza
“If the children come 20-25 minutes before school, they can’t eat in the cafeteria anymore. As a mother, my priority is my child and the children in the school. It’s important for them to eat.”
-Maritza Menjivar
“I think it’s important even if children don’t eat everything on their plate. If one child eats their apple and another child only drinks their milk, they’re both getting important nutrition!”
-Leticia Garcia
“My son has autism and it’s really difficult to get him to eat at all. But in the classroom he’s eating because he tries to imitate what the other students are doing. He’s eating breakfast now!”
-Marina Magaña
“I have been a parent volunteer at Hoover. I know there are hungry families here. We’ve even seen children take uneaten breakfast items out of the trash because they are so hungry when they get to school.”
-Socorro Sanchez
“If she eats too early in the morning, my little girl gets too hungry before lunch. This way she can last until lunch.”
-Cynthia Guarneros
“Breakfast in the classroom isn’t just important for my own child. It’s important for the whole community. I know hungry families and I know this is helping.”
-Fidel Sanchez
