Texas Man Pays Overdue School Lunch Bills for More Than 60 Kids

diamondsmiles · #1 02-09-2014, 06:22 AM

Karen Datko

moneytalksnews.com

February 7, 2014

Kenny Thompson of Houston, was deeply disturbed when he heard about the Utah elementary school that took lunches away from kids with past due school lunch payments and tossed them in the trash.

So he decided to find out about how kids whose parents couldn’t afford their lunch bills were being treated at an elementary school in his neighborhood, Valley Oaks Elementary.

He found that kids there with delinquent lunch accounts get a cold sandwich, not a regular tray of hot food that the other kids get. Imagine their embarrassment!

So, Thompson, who mentors at the school, made that distinction go away. Said KSDK TV in Houston:

"He took $465 of his own money and zeroed out the delinquent accounts of more than 60 kids."

“These are elementary school kids. They don’t need to be worried about finances. They need to be worried about what grade they got in spelling,” said Thompson.

What a wonderful gesture. News of his generosity has spread. Says Today.com:

"Students and school administrators at Valley Oaks have openly expressed gratitude for Thompson’s efforts, [Thompson] said. One of his mentees broke down and cried when he heard the news, sharing how he used to avoid the lunch line and claim he wasn’t hungry to avoid any questions."

DannyDrama · #2 02-09-2014, 06:36 AM

'Delinquent accounts'.

SLeUTh · #3 02-09-2014, 09:37 AM

Starting the youngsters off early with debt these days.

BBKF · #4 02-09-2014, 08:40 PM

What a great thing to do!!!!

Pyramid_Head · #5 02-10-2014, 10:23 AM

Throwing away the lunches? How does that make any sense?

invertigo · #6 02-10-2014, 04:23 PM

This is a band-aid. If long term change is desired, the system itself needs to be altered, or two weeks later these same kids are likely going to be in debt again

Shakey · #7 02-10-2014, 07:51 PM

If our tax dollars were spent appropriately this wouldn't be an issue.

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