Holiday helpers jump in to erase kids' school lunch debts (in the Twin Cities)
Thousands of students returning to school after Christmas break will find surprises in the lunch lines: no more overdue charges.
Donations have flooded school districts over the past two weeks as people metrowide pitched in to pay off outstanding school lunch debts, which can create hefty bills for schools and pressure for financially strapped families.
Thanks to a donation campaign, the $27,000-plus balance in overdue lunches at St. Paul Public Schools was erased in a couple weeks. Nearly $100,000 in donations to Minneapolis Public Schools as of Thursday afternoon was topped by a $15,000 donation from the staffs of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx later that day.
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Kids aren’t turned away during lunch in St. Paul, said a district spokeswoman, but a delinquent balance can make the difference between a hot meal and a cheese sandwich. Minneapolis students get full meals despite outstanding balances, the district said.
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http://www.startribune.com/holiday-helpers-jump-in-to-erase-kids-school-lunch-debts/407983666/