Anyone live in a area where people can donate to pay for students lunch debt? If so how is it set up?

[princesscinderella]

John Oliver just had free school lunches as his main focus of his episode a couple weeks ago it was very well presented. I agree that school lunches at public schools should be free for all the students. No child should have to feel shame because they can’t afford lunch at school or not eat because they have too large a tab that hasn’t been paid. I would try calling your individual school and offering to pay the tabs vs contacting the school board.

 

[tvguy]

What is lunch debt? Kids just bring bag lunches here unless there is a special pizza day or something where it's prepaid.

There is free breakfast in some schools. Think they will all be free soon. But lunch isn't given out.

Seems some Canadian schools offer hot lunch.
https://centennial.cbe.ab.ca/cafeteria-menu

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

College though is very different than public K-12 schools where you must send (or provide proof of home schooling) your minor child to school. In my opinion. college should be pretty different.

I think we all know college vs lower ed aren't exactly the same there. But it is the same in which the educational facility wants monies that are owed by a student which was the aspect being discussed. Unfortunately if money is owed the norm is to withhold something, what varies.

State laws vary on the age in which you 1) have to send your child to school (my state compulsory starts at age 7 for example 2) at what age you can drop out (with parental permission or emancipation) so must varies on that one. In addition schools don't care if you're 18, money is still owed to them so it's not merely about minors.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I agree, but as I posted, the kids won't eat the healthy stuff. For example, they can now get CHOCOLATE milk, because the experts say that despite it having twice the sugar, if it gets kids to drink milk, it is worth it.

Hmm we had chocolate milk 30 years ago as an option in elementary school. I mean honestly with the lunches we had milk seemed like a weird choice whether it was normal or chocolate but yeah had that option.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I do wish there was a more standardized and accepted way for a perspective community to help out. There's so much variance that it can really seem unfair why one school allowed student debt to be paid off but another school didn't.

 

[tvguy]

Hmm we had chocolate milk 30 years ago as an option in elementary school. I mean honestly with the lunches we had milk seemed like a weird choice whether it was normal or chocolate but yeah had that option.

Yeah, it has been around 60 years since I was in elementary school. Only milk option back then was whole milk. For a nickel. I know sometime after I was out of elementary school whole milk got switched out for 2% in the war on obesity. Looking at the menus now, they only offer 1% milk, or non-fat chocolate milk here.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I'm just curious what state you live in? We recently moved to SC and I have just been so disgusted by the states stance and the state of the public schools here. Every policy is so punitive in nature and I'm one. who's all about accountability, but we've lived a lot of places (military) and I've just never seen anything like it.

After working in districts with and without free breakfast/lunch I am 100% in the camp that it shoukd be provided for all students for free. - Nothing extra, no chips/treats, just a simple healthy breakfast and lunch. - It just makes such a difference.

We’re in Maryland

 

[Disneylover99]

Seems some Canadian schools offer hot lunch.
https://centennial.cbe.ab.ca/cafeteria-menu

But that’s not free.

Many highschools (not elementary schools) have had cafeterias with hot food for students to purchase for years.

 

[nene0182]

Someone I work with tried to pay off the debt for two students and they told him he couldn’t unless he could give them the name of specific students. I’m not sure if he was ever able to or if he found an alternative way to donate. I just remember hearing him on the phone asking about it.

 

[tvguy]

But that’s not free.

Many highschools (not elementary schools) have had cafeterias with hot food for students to purchase for years.

Correct. Poster I replied too seemed to indicate their schools don't have hot lunches, kids bring sack lunches instead. No mention of if it was free, just that they don't have hot lunches.

 

[MillauFr]

Fortunately that isn't an issue here as school lunches are free in California. Unfortunately, about half the kids refuse to take the lunches, and too many of the kids who take the lunches throw most of the food in the trash.

They need to work with Chef Bruno Serato to make the meals. Then the kids would eat them.....

https://caterinasclub.org/

 

[CdnCarrie]

Seems some Canadian schools offer hot lunch.
https://centennial.cbe.ab.ca/cafeteria-menu

Maybe. Not in public schools in Manitoba.
Except high school. They have canteens like you linked. It’s like a fast food restaurant.

There are no cafeterias in public schools in elementary or middle schools in Manitoba.

 

[tvguy]

Maybe. Not in public schools in Manitoba.
Except high school. They have canteens like you linked. It’s like a fast food restaurant.

There are no cafeterias in public schools in elementary or middle schools in Manitoba.

Can't tell if this is a public or private school, but they have hot lunches and now they are free as of this month. https://www.winnipegsd.ca/luxton/page/2949/lunch-program

 

[JFDIS]

We have an organization in my community called FELT, Feeding Empty Little Tummies. They help kids get food while they are at school to take home in their backpacks. Teachers help sneak the food into the backpacks to save the kids embarrassment. This food becomes their dinner and meals for the weekend. For some kids, the only place they have a stable meal is at school. Those caring for them don’t use government assistance (EBT benefits) to actually feed these kids.
In case this thread made anyone wonder how they could help kids from going hungry, you may have something like this in your community.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Can't tell if this is a public or private school, but they have hot lunches and now they are free as of this month. https://www.winnipegsd.ca/luxton/page/2949/lunch-program

That’s supervision. You use to have to pay fees for children to be supervised at lunch.
They announced this year the elimination of all lunch program fees.

Again there is no cafeteria in public elementary and middle schools in Manitoba.


From the link

Students accepted to the lunch program bring their own non-microwaveable lunch from home – no food is provided.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Someone I work with tried to pay off the debt for two students and they told him he couldn’t unless he could give them the name of specific students. I’m not sure if he was ever able to or if he found an alternative way to donate. I just remember hearing him on the phone asking about it.

I think this was the sticking point in our district too, but it occurs to me that maybe doing it through a local paper or through a PTA would get people to submit their bills and account numbers so the donor could sed it in? I wouldn't just hand people money as it might not go where you want it to go.

 

[kdonnel]

School lunches are so important to so many that the district where I live brings meals out to the students on digital learning days.

The buses run their usual routes at a later time. Instead of picking up students the buses bring breakfast and lunch boxed meals to anyone that is waiting at the bus stops.

It amazes me the district will do that yet not provide meals for free on the days the students are in the building.

So close to being compassionate, yet so far.

 

[sheilafri]

Another option is to support your local food pantry. In my small community need and costs have both skyrocketed. I have several friends who volunteer there so I see how hard they work and hear about how much the clients rely on the support.

 

[barkley]

It's not entirely different in college. If you have unpaid things on your account (books, dues, parking fines, etc) they will withhold your diploma and transcript.

i remember when i graduated from a public high school-some of my classmates did the whole grad walk and when they got back to their seats and opened the diploma holder there was no diploma but a letter in their name stating what unreturned items/unpaid debts they had at school and how their diploma and transcripts would be withheld until the items were returned/debts paid (and there were only about a 4 working days the school was open between graduation and total closure for 2 solid months during the summer so it had to be dealt with ASAP).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

i remember when i graduated from a public high school-some of my classmates did the whole grad walk and when they got back to their seats and opened the diploma holder there was no diploma but a letter in their name stating what unreturned items/unpaid debts they had at school and how their diploma and transcripts would be withheld until the items were returned/debts paid (and there were only about a 4 working days the school was open between graduation and total closure for 2 solid months during the summer so it had to be dealt with ASAP).

Correct, it's not abnormal and there's 100% chance they were notified multiple times prior to the actual graduation ceremony (or warned to ensure balance was paid). School pranks often get that consequence as well (or inability to walk more commonly) even for minor ones.

I'm not saying I'm agreeing with that type of consequence just that it's pretty typical that unpaid debt whatever it is comprised of often has that effect.