Governor Josh Shapiro visited Fort Washington Elementary School (Upper Dublin School District) today to distribute free breakfast to local students.
According to a press release, Shapiro “has fought for and delivered universal free breakfast for every one of Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million students, securing funding in each budget since 2023 — with continued funding in the Governor’s 2026-27 proposed budget.”
“Our kids can’t learn on an empty stomach. That’s why I fought for and delivered universal free breakfast in Pennsylvania schools when I took office three years ago,” Shapiro said. “Universal free breakfast helps our students succeed by ensuring they start the day with a full stomach, ready to learn. My Administration is proud to invest in our students’ success and we’re going to keep delivering for students all across the Commonwealth.”
Last year, Pennsylvania schools served nearly 93 million breakfasts, 70 million of which went to students who were at-risk for hunger or who came from low-income families.
The Upper Dublin School District—a 2025 Governor’s School Breakfast Program Awardee—served over 19,000 free breakfasts in the 2024-25 school year, with more than 3,000 free breakfasts served at Fort Washington.
“In Upper Dublin School District, we take great pride in giving students the resources they need to learn and thrive throughout the school day. Providing access to a healthy breakfast is one important way we can support student success,” said Dr. Laurie Smith, superintendent. “We appreciate our dedicated Food Services team and Governor Shapiro’s efforts to highlight the role nutrition plays in student learning, health, and well-being.”
Governor Shapiro also secured an 18.4 percent increase in funding for Upper Dublin since the 2022-23 school year, bringing more than $6.71 million to the district last year. In the 2026-27 proposed budget, Upper Dublin would receive an additional $97,004 in state funding.
“No child should be asked to learn on an empty stomach. I was proud to welcome Governor Shapiro to Montgomery County this morning and join him at Fort Washington Elementary, in the heart of the 12th District, where kids showed up ready to learn,” said Senator Maria Collett. “A good breakfast is part of what makes that possible. I’m proud to keep fighting for universal free school breakfast for every student in Pennsylvania.”
“You can’t expect a kid with an empty belly to focus on schoolwork. We’ve already seen the positive impact Governor Shapiro’s free breakfast program has had on students and classrooms, and we need to keep delivering this win for kids in this year’s state budget,” said Representative Ben Sanchez. “This is all part of how we’re reinventing school funding in PA to help every kid in every district and make sure all students have the tools they need to succeed.”
Photos: Commonwealth Media Services