When children miss a healthy morning breakfast, they tend to suffer from stomachaches, headaches, depression, anxiety, and a decreased ability to focus.  Children who participate in the Free Breakfast Weekend Program are more likely to consume important vitamins and minerals. As a result of the Free Breakfast Weekend Program, we will see a decrease in symptoms of hunger as well as decreasing the food insecurity risk of children.

As a Special Education teacher that has served and taught only in underprivileged neighborhoods, I immediately recognized specific challenges while teaching at Hamilton High School. Students often confided in me that they faced many hungry evenings after school and on weekends. These conversations, led me to aggressively begin compiling ideas for my nonprofit organization, which is now Crusade for Change.

The FBWP addresses the need of poverty and hunger in distressed communities. The South Memphis community near Pine Hill has faced many challenges over the years and contributes to the 22.1 percent rate of food insecurity for Memphis/Shelby County.  Some of the issues include but are not limited to struggling families who are living well below the poverty line, the emergence of a great deal of abandoned buildings and homes, and high crime rates.  

Crusade for Change implemented its first FBWP at Douglass Community Center. The project was a huge success and the families of the Douglass community enjoyed a tasty and nutritious breakfast. It is our goal to ensure that the families in the Pine Hill area of South Memphis will benefit from the services of the FBWP and strong collaborations are formed to continue to build and stabilize the community.