Evergreen Junior High is one of 18 schools to receive grant funding to serve breakfast in the classroom with the goal of addressing child hunger and food insecurity.

The junior high received $1,735 to implement Breakfast After the Bell, an initiative of Gov. Steve Bullock, First Lady Lisa Bullock and Montana No Kid Hungry.

A total of $70,125 in private grant funding went to schools across Montana.

The funding helps schools serve breakfast in the classroom and allows students to eat during or between morning lessons rather than in the cafeteria before classes begin. After adopting Breakfast After the Bell, many schools see increased student participation in the breakfast programs.

“Feeding kids breakfast not only has the most potential to help students learn, attendance goes up and there are fewer disciplinary problems and fewer visits to the school nurse,” Gov. Bullock said in a press release. “As governor and as a father, I’m pleased to see even more schools across our state recognize the incredible benefits of making breakfast part of the school day.”