Group works to end student lunch shaming in Prince William County

NoVa group fights lunch shaming

At least four out of 10 students in a northern Virginia school district qualify for free or reduced lunch. At times, their benefits lapse, which means the district foots the bill.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - At least four out of 10 students in a northern Virginia school district qualify for free or reduced lunch. At times, their benefits lapse, which means the district foots the bill.

A northern Virginia woman’s grassroots effort "Settle the Debt" is going big to pay off student lunch debt across Prince William County. They are around $25,000 away from reaching the amount needed to pay off student lunch debt at 20 different schools.

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FOX 5 has learned exclusively which schools are slated to have their student lunch debt paid off on December 18:

Alvey Elementary School

Ashland Elementary School

Bel Air Elementary School

Bristow Run Elementary School

Buckland Mills Elementary School

Chris Yung Elementary Schools

Colgan High School

Glenkirk Elementary School

Gravely Elementary School

Haymarket Elementary School

Loch Lomond Elementary School

Mountain View High School

Patriot High School

Pennington Traditional School

Piney Branch Elementary School

River Oaks Elementary School

Sinclair Elementary School

Stonewall Jackson High School

Tyler Elementary School

Woodbridge Middle School

FILE: An anonymous donor paid nearly $8,000 to clear all outstanding school lunch balances for the entire Ocean View School District. (Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Adele Settle started "Settle the Debt" two years ago. She lives in Gainseville and now the group that started in her living room with a handful of moms is a nonprofit organization.

Their goal is to end lunch shaming, which is a term used when schools identify or offer an alternative lunch or no lunch at all to students who have an outstanding lunch bill.

Settle says the best way to end that practice is through legislation and paying off student lunch debt.

So far for 2019, the student lunch debt in Prince William County is reportedly $221,000.

Adam Russo says the school district says it will get paid either way at the end of the fiscal year but the issue is that money is money that could go towards, books, band and other programs and resources.

Russo is the Director of School Food & Nutrition Services in Prince William County Public Schools.