Marco Island Charter Middle School Receives Grant for Breakfast Meals

Marco Island Charter Middle School is pleased to announce it has received a $15,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation. These funds will support the addition of a healthy breakfast each morning as the students arrive on campus. MICMS receives less funding per student than traditional public schools and does not receive federal funding to provide lunch or breakfast for students - the school must work with outside sources to procure funding for these necessities. MICMS' economically needy population is 43% and rising and needs additional support to provide breakfast and lunch.

Traditional public schools in Florida provide free breakfast and lunch for their students. MICMS does not receive these state or federal funds in order to provide breakfast and lunch to all of our students. The "Breakfast Fuels the Mind" Program will provide breakfast for students each day to ensure that students do not start the day with an empty stomach. Maslow has proven that students who are not having their basic needs met, such as food, have a more difficult time focusing on their academic needs than their peers that are lucky enough to have breakfast. MICMS wants to remove that barrier to ensure that all students have the option to eat breakfast, if they so desire. MICMS has and will continue to work with Our Daily Bread Food Pantry to purchase the necessary supplies and food to ensure that each student is given the option to fuel their brain prior to starting their academic day.

“Marco Island Charter Middle School continually strives to provide the best education and support for each and every one of our students. This invaluable grant from the Collier Community Foundation allows us to provide breakfast for all of our students and ensures that none of our students will be hungry throughout the day. Without the Collier Community Foundation, this would not have been possible. We are humbled and extremely grateful for the Collier Community Foundation's continued support” David Lupo, MICMS Board President.

The Collier Community Foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. Selected organizations receive grant dollars from the Changing Needs Fund.

This Fund is made up of donors who believe in the Community Foundation’s ability to identify and grant to the community’s most current needs.

MICMS is held accountable by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) which has designated MICMS as an A+ school for almost two decades. FLDOE has also identified MICMS as a "High Performing Charter School" and "School of Excellence". MICMS continues to track and measure their work through the Florida Department of Education’s accountability system. With the reports from FLDOE, the school celebrates student successes and sets clear expectations to increase student achievement for all.