Anonymous Donor Clears $15,000 in Student Lunch Debt for Winfield Schools
Gift eliminates meal balances for approximately 450 students in USD 465
WINFIELD, Kan. — An anonymous donor has wiped out all outstanding student lunch debt in the Winfield school district with a contribution exceeding $15,000, Superintendent Tricia Reiser announced at Monday's Board of Education meeting. The donation, totaling $15,432, cleared negative meal account balances for approximately 450 students in USD 465, some of whom had accumulated debt before qualifying for free or reduced-price meals under federal guidelines.
The gift reflects a growing national movement to address school meal debt, which totals an estimated $194 million annually across U.S. public schools. Reiser said additional community members have also contributed to the district's "Lunch Fairy" fund, which assists families facing financial hardship with meal costs. Kansas school districts have grappled with rising lunch debt since the expiration of pandemic-era universal free meal programs, with some districts in the Kansas City area reporting debts approaching $250,000 before adopting the federal Community Eligibility Provision to offer free meals to all students.
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