SARPY COUNTY, Neb. (KMTV)– Businesses are teaming up with a local Sarpy County organization for a fundraiser to help fight food insecurity and pay off lunch debt for students across the county.
- 25% of students in some Sarpy County communities face food insecurity with $175,000 in total school lunch debt
- Local businesses are organizing a Feb. 7 fundraiser at Smash Park in La Vista to raise $25,000 for students
- School lunch debt has increased by nearly $30,000 from last year across Sarpy County districts
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In some communities across Sarpy County, 25% of students face food insecurity, and across the school districts, there is $175,000 in school lunch debt, according to Lift Up Sarpy County.
This is nearly a $30,000 increase from last year, so businesses and organizations decided to raise money to pay down the debt.
Businesses are teaming up with a local Sarpy County organization for a fundraiser to help fight food insecurity and pay off lunch debt for students across the county.
Helen Kort is part of the committee running the fundraiser. She says the group is aiming to raise $25,000 for students.
"At the end of the day the students that are in school today are going to be our leaders in the future and we want to make they are supported, they feel secure, and they have the dignity and respect to have a healthy warm meal at school because that may be the only time they eat during the day," Kort said.
Kort is an interior designer with DLR.
These community leaders say if the issue isn't addressed, the number of unpaid debt will just continue to grow, and more children will be left without a crucial meal.
"If you don't get a good meal, it directly impacts everything in your life so being able to provide food for children when they might not be getting food at home is a big deal," said Jessica Moline, director of market research at Colliers.
Everything raised will be equally distributed to schools across the county.
The fundraiser is Feb. 7 at Smash Park in La Vista. Kort says spots are still available for teams to sign up, and businesses can still sponsor the event. For more information click here.
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