CHICAGO (March 6, 2015) – Action for Healthy Kids® (AFHK) announces its call for applications for $700,000 in grants through its Universal School Breakfast for Healthy Kids program, funded by the Walmart Foundation for the third consecutive year. Grants provide in-school assistance, technical support and funding to improve schools’ nutritional environments and increase participation in the National School Breakfast Program. Grant applications may be submitted at www.actionforhealthykids.org/grants through May 1, 2015. These initial grants are part of more than $1.4 million in grants which will support school breakfast and physical activity and be awarded by Action for Healthy Kids in the 2015-2016 school year.

Grants will be awarded to individual school buildings (up to $2,500 for newly funded schools and $1,000 sustainability grants for previously funded schools) to help administrators launch or expand the universal school breakfast program in under-resourced schools where 60% or more of the students qualify for free and/or reduced-price meals through the federal government’s school meals programs. Through the School Breakfast for Healthy Kids total nutrition approach, AFHK will also provide awarded schools with help in the formation and expansion of school health teams, programmatic resources, technical assistance and policy expertise.

“All children deserve to be healthy and ready to learn at the beginning of their school day,” said Rob Bisceglie, CEO of Action for Healthy Kids. “Millions of students rely on the National School Breakfast Program to make that happen. The support we get from the Walmart Foundation is absolutely critical in the work we do to broaden access to this program for kids who need it most.”

“Starting the day with breakfast is an important part of being healthy, but unfortunately, too many students across the country don’t have the resources available to have breakfast at home before they go to school,” said Karrie Denniston, director of the Walmart Foundation. “By supporting organizations like Action for Healthy Kids, we can ensure that our nation’s children have access to school breakfast and nutrition education programs, and help families develop long-term healthy eating habits.”

Designated for the 2015-2016 school year, the School Grants for Healthy Kids will go to selected schools that participate in the National School Breakfast Program in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Washington, D.C. To apply for grants and find inspiring success stories, visit www.actionforhealthykids.org/grants. Learn more about school breakfast models and AFHK’s impact on school breakfast nationwide at https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/breakfast.

About Action for Healthy Kids®
Action for Healthy Kids® is a nationwide grassroots network that supports school-based healthy eating and physical activity improvements that increase academic success. With funding opportunities, expert technical assistance and our flagship program, Game On, we mobilize schools, administrators and parents to develop healthy school environments for children. To learn more about the ways our 85,000+ volunteer network is helping to make Every Kid Healthy™, visit us at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/act4healthykids) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Act4HlthyKids).

About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts that draw on the strengths of Walmart in the arenas of sustainability, economic opportunity, and community. As part of our commitment to creating a more sustainable food system worldwide, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States. They recently exceeded a $2 billion goal to fight hunger one year ahead of schedule and have donated more than 1.5 billion pounds of food to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.