As Children Head Back to School, GoFundMe Community Raises More Than $375,000 to Erase School Lunch Debt

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Many more children are heading back to school with a clean slate thanks to the more than 100 campaigns on GoFundMe that have raised over $375,000 to erase school lunch debt. Community members have started these campaigns to pay off the accounts of children whose families couldn't afford them. Some of these children would experience "lunch shaming" when in debt, where they'd be given cold food or even made to wear bracelets that would set them apart from other students.

Today, GoFundMe is releasing a new centralized location for all campaigns helping to eliminate lunch debt in our communities. We want to make it as easy as possible for GoFundMe donors to support to an existing campaign or to create a new campaign to eliminate lunch debt. To view the campaigns, please visit: https://pages.gofundme.com/lunchdebt/

This movement to end school lunch debt started late last year, but truly started gaining steam in May, thanks to the actions of Seattle father Jeff Lew, who has so far raised nearly $100,000 to erase lunch debt in his community's school districts. Many campaign organizers on GoFundMe have been inspired by Mr. Lew and news stories, and together they're continuing to work to improve the school lunch experience for all American children.

Notable Lunch Debt Campaigns

NO LUNCH MONEY -  Phoenix, AZ ($5,030 raised)
https://www.gofundme.com/nolunchmoney

No School Lunch Debt in MPUSD - Monterey, CA ($3,230)
https://www.gofundme.com/noschoollunchdebt

What's for lunch? Not much. - Littleton, CO ($17,632)
https://www.gofundme.com/eraseschooldebt

Students lunch debt - Rossville, GA ($5,055)
https://www.gofundme.com/y5shbu-students-lunch-debt

School Lunch Relief Program - Perry, KS ($2,007)
https://www.gofundme.com/school-lunch-relief-program

Help Kids In Need Eat Lunch - Portland, OR ($28,209)
https://www.gofundme.com/ChildrensLunchDebt

About GoFundMe
Launched in 2010, GoFundMe is the world's largest social fundraising platform, with over $4 billion raised so far. With a community of more than 40 million donors, GoFundMe is changing the way the world gives. Find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE GoFundMe

Related Links

http://www.gofundme.com