Prison inmates raise $4,000 to pay kids' lunch debt, say they know what it feels like to go hungry
The inmates managed to raise and cover up to 71% of the school lunch debt.
No child should have to sit through classes with their stomach rumbling with hunger, and inmates at the Norton Correctional Facility decided to change that. When they heard that the Norton public county schools had $6,000 in unpaid school lunch debt, they readily volunteered to help. They joined hands with the non-profit organization Reaching Out From Within (ROFW) and members of the Kansas Department of Correction and managed to donate $4,267, according to a September 4 Facebook post by Norton Correctional Facility.
From their own pockets
The debt came from children whose families could not afford to pay for their school's breakfasts and lunches. Despite that, the Norton, Kansas, public school district kept serving children hot meals even when their accounts went negative. Other school districts served lower-quality food to avoid going into debt. To help the schools, the inmates at Norton Correctional Facility worked with ROFW and donated $3,810 from their own personal funds to the ROFW USD 211 School Lunch Account fundraiser. To meet the $4,000 mark, staff members from the Kansas Department of Corrections also donated $457.
Personal experience
On August 3, 30 inmates gathered to give Corey Roy, the USD 211 Superintendent of Schools, the total amount they had raised. The $4,267 that they raised covered 71% of the remaining debt. Roy was touched by their kind act. He said in a statement, "I was moved at how the men I spoke with wanted to make a positive impact to help others in the community. I think it gave them a sense of purpose and knowledge that they made a difference for a young person they don’t even know."
Roy spoke to several inmates after the ceremony and found that many felt drawn to help because they knew what going hungry as a child was like. Not receiving the help and support they needed affected their studies. They wanted a different life for the students who could not afford school lunches.
The effects of hunger
Amanda Kinnaird, a food and nutrition professional with Washington's North Thurston Public Schools, backed the inmates' experience. She said, "Research shows that students who come to school hungry lack concentration, which impacts their ability to learn. Also, food insecurity can lead to students being socially withdrawn. They will be embarrassed to admit they are hungry and don’t want to ask for food, which clearly has a direct impact on their emotional well-being."
The Economic Research Service found that in 2022, 32% of families with school-going children who paid for school meals had financial problems towards the end of the year. By May 2023, the number went up to 35%. A 2019 YouGov survey revealed that 62% of American adults believed that public schools should provide free lunches (62%) and free breakfast (52%) for students. Parents admitted that paying for public school lunches dug a hole in their pockets.
Still members of society
Roy concluded by saying, "I was very appreciative to have the chance to talk to them as a group, but also individually, to hear how this made them feel to help someone else. I wanted them to know that they made a difference in a positive way. In listening to them, I believe this gave them a chance to reflect and know that, moving forward, they can make choices that are positive for themselves and others in the community." ROFW focuses on the idea that incarcerated men and women were still members of society. The purpose of the organization was to help "empower residents to transform themselves and heal each other."
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