MN Super Bowl Committee Names Faribault School Breakfast Recipient

The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee (MNSBHC) Legacy Fund announced today that Faribault Middle School is a Super School Breakfast grant recipient.

Super School Breakfast is a campaign to help implement Fuel Up to Play 60’s Breakfast-in-the-Classroom program in elementary, middle and high schools in 52 communities statewide leading up to Super Bowl LII.

The program is a cornerstone of the MNSBHC Legacy Fund’s "Fun, Fuel, and Fundamentals" initiative to help Minnesota children build lifelong healthy habits.

Super School Breakfast is in partnership with Fuel Up to Play 60 and the Midwest Dairy Council. During a breakfast party this morning, Faribault Middle School received $10,000 worth of equipment and infrastructure needed to provide an enhanced breakfast program for students.

“Super School Breakfast is an example of how Minnesota’s Super Bowl will positively impact kids in Faribault,” said Dana Nelson, Vice President of Legacy and Community Partnerships for the MNSBHC, in a statement.

“By delivering resources to make Breakfast-in-the-Classroom a reality, more kids have access to healthy, nutritious food that will give them a productive start and help them power through a healthy and active day.”

The Food Action Research Council (FRAC) reports that more than 140,000 students in Minnesota who are eligible for free and reduced school meals take advantage of lunch, but not breakfast programs, according to a news release.

The report also notes Minnesota currently ranks 44th out of 50 states in offering school breakfast.

According to a Current Nutrition & Food Science Journal report, allowing students to take breakfast to their class increases participation and helps remove the stigma associated with students reporting to the cafeteria to receive a free or reduced meal. Students who participate in school breakfast also show improved attendance, behavior, and decreased tardiness.

In celebration of Minnesota’s Super Bowl year, the MNSBHC will make the Vikings’ Fuel Up to Play 60 outreach program ‘Super’ by turning the annual grants into a year-long program leading up to the Big Game.

Since 2010, more than $300,000 has been provided by the state’s dairy farm families to Minnesota schools to support breakfast programs, and as a result more than 211,000 students have access to breakfast at school.

“The Midwest dairy farmers in Faribault are invested in helping Minnesota youth establish healthy eating habits to win back our position as the healthiest state in the nation,” said Lucas Lentsch, CEO of the Midwest Dairy Council.

“Recent surveys rank Minnesota as 4th in the nation in healthy kids – down from our previous position on top of the list.”

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