KALISPELL — A Kalispell nonprofit aims to rid Flathead students of lunch debt.
Tammi Fisher with Gap Fillers Flathead tells MTN News that Kalispell schools have $16,000 in lunch debt.
Fisher says the debt accumulates over time if parent’s don’t pay or don’t apply for financial aid for lunches at the beginning of the year. Because of this, Fisher says many students go without lunch to avoid the shame of not having the money to get hot food in the lunch room.
Gap Fillers Flathead wants to eliminate student lunch debt and needs community donations to do so.
“They don’t want to suffer the shame associated with going into a different lunch line or getting a different lunch or being told in front of their friends by the way you have a debt," Fisher said.
"And so, since we can’t calculate that essentially we’re left to look at what the debt is. Once we can eliminate that debt and on an on-going basis tell students and get the word out, you will always have a hot lunch we will always fund your lunch," she added.
Fisher says the goal is to eliminate the $16,000 in debt which will make any shortfall in the future easier to manage. Click here if you'd like to make a donation.
