Lunch Debt
Student-led and founded organization dedicated to eradicating lunch debt in the Shaker Heights City School District
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Our Mission
Lunch is a very important part of the day, especially at school. Every kid should get a chance to talk with friends, socialize, take a break from class, and eat. No one should be made to feel singled out, self-conscious, or unable to participate because they do not have enough money in their school account.
Free and reduced-price lunch programs are designed to alleviate that problem, but they do not eliminate the stigma and do not always fully solve the problem.
One of the few bright sides of the COVID-19 pandemic was that lunches were free. We saw firsthand what happened when that support was taken away, as many people began talking about the growing burden of lunch fees. People should not have to worry about whether they will be able to get lunch, and fees are not fair to families or their children. Our goal is to raise enough money to pay off lunch debt in every Shaker Heights City School District lunch account. One hundred percent of donations go directly toward paying off lunch debt. We also hope to spread awareness and bring the Shaker community together around this often-overlooked issue.
Shaker is a town with pride, and we know there is no better community to come together and help.
A Little Background
The lunch money system in the Shaker School District works in a particular way. The money in a student account can become negative, allowing students with zero dollars in their accounts to get the same lunch as any other student. That negative balance can be paid off during the year or can build up throughout the year. Once the school year ends, the balance is reset to zero, but it does not disappear. Instead, it is recorded as a fee in the student's overall account. Before graduation, students are encouraged to pay the fees they have accumulated throughout their time in the district, including lunch fees. These students and their families are often asked to pay as much as they can, after which the remaining fees are wiped out. For example, if a graduating student has $500 in lunch fees but can pay only $100, the remaining $400 is erased. This can leave the district at a loss. The food service side of the district is also run separately from the schools, but when fees and other costs build up, the district may have to pull funding from the school and other programs to make up for a significant loss in the food department.
Around
$60,000
in lunch fees are built up annually
Over
$4,000
in current negative balance at Shaker Heights High School
Around
$37,000
in current lunch fees at the High School