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Palm Beach County School District offers breakfast on wheels

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Posted at 4:01 AM, Nov 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-07 06:24:27-05

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — We've all heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Now, the Palm Beach County School District is turning to an innovative approach -- breakfast on wheels -- when it comes to serving it up. It's all in an effort to reach more kids.

"You grab what you want. They scan your ID, and then they put it into the system and you go," said Ashton Lebron, a seventh grader who said the concept makes sense.

He seeks out the cart daily.

"It’s better, so my mom doesn’t go in late to work," said Ashton. "A lot of my friends come through here."

Ashton Lebron (right) with WPTV reporter Tory Dunnan
Ashton Lebron (right) with WPTV reporter Tory Dunnan

The Palm Beach County School District tries to place the carts in places where kids like to hangout. It's all in hopes they'll reach more kids and feed them ahead of the busy school day.

"Typically you may find a food cart in a courtyard somewhere, in a bus loop or probably close to a gym," said Grace Ann Ferguson, who is a field specialist with school food services. "Those are hangout locations where students are in the mornings."

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Ferguson said making sure kids get breakfast is a top priority for them. This is in addition to the traditional cafeteria lines.

"We are trying to boost our breakfast numbers," said Ferguson. "We are even going as far as to try and get breakfast served in our classrooms."

She believes some parents don't realize that breakfast is the only free meal of the day for all student regardless of financial need. All the kids have to do is show up at the time it's being served.

"It's the only meal a lot of kids get for the day," said Ferguson.