Keller ISD, nonprofit launch fundraiser to pay student lunch debt to avoid 'alternative meals'
Keller ISD is pairing with a local nonprofit to help raise money from community donations in order to pay down students' lunch debts.
The drive for donations comes after it announced alternative meals for students who have too much lunch debt.
Keller ISD tells FOX 4 the lunch debt is already at $37,000 with just a few months into the school year.
The district and a local nonprofit can't solve the lunch deficit by themselves. So they're calling on the community, using a public fundraiser that started just a few days ago.
Katie Johnston with Community Storehouse is partnering with Keller ISD to tackle the nearly $40,000 student lunch debt the district is dealing with.
"It is truly unfortunate the volume of people that we are seeing two or three years ago were able to make their income work for them," she said. "It is the same income as they had. But now, it's not going as far as it did. Unfortunately, we are seeing that trickle down to our students."
The non-profit out of Keller serves families from across Tarrant County from after - school tutoring to food donations.
Johnston says they're seeing unprecedented numbers, even compared to COVID years.
"When we saw this issue arising with kids not being able to potentially get the lunches they are requesting or wanting, we knew it was something we could step in and help," she said.
Keller ISD launched an online fundraiser where the community can chip in to help clear meal balances. It's on the district's website and Community Storehouse's website.
Last week, Keller ISD announced students with a lunch debt of more than $25 will be served alternative meals until the negative balance is resolved.
That alternative meal includes a Sunbutter and jelly Sandwich for breakfast and turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch along with fruit and an option of white or chocolate milk.
Last year, students racked up $66,000 in lunch debt of which the district ultimately paid.
"When you look at a district like Keller, you think 'There is no way Keller is an affluent area,'" Johnston said. "We are just seeing so many people right now that are struggling."
Nearly 60 miles southwest in Hood County, Granbury ISD tells FOX 4 its lunch debt so far this year is $5,000; a much smaller district but still facing the same problem.
Granbury ISD was already serving alternative meals to students with an unpaid lunch balance greater than $20.
Its school board decided Tuesday that Granbury students who have a depleted lunch balance will have an upgraded alternative meal that it's calling a "cafe combo meal." It includes a muffin, yogurt, granola, cheese stick and students' choice of sides and milk.
That alternative meal plan in Keller will begin on Monday. Students are on fall break this week.
