Farmington Public Schools receives $21,000 grant from Arby’s to pay off lunch debt
FARMINGTON, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Farmington Public Schools received a grant from the Arby’s Foundation that will help those struggling to pay for lunch.
The $21,422 grant will help pay off every student’s school lunch debt in the district. Superintendent Jon Laffoon said he’s thankful for the Arby’s Foundation’s donation to the school district.
“We were just blessed to have that opportunity, and we’re grateful,” Laffoon said.
Farmington Public Schools offers food pantry for families in need
Laffoon said about 30% of the school district’s students utilize free or reduced lunch, but he said some students who pay full price for lunch have some debt accumulated. Laffoon said some students compiled hundreds of dollars of school lunch debt.
The superintendent believes there are some ripple effects left over from the COVID-19 pandemic that may have heightened the financial burden on some families.
“Everyone had been free during the pandemic for two years, and then we switched back off, and I think it was more of a struggle than our state leaders and our federal leaders knew for families at that time to purchase lunch each day,” Laffoon said. “I think the pandemic affected people’s employment, and then the cost of food right now. Everything’s inflated.”
Jeni Kirkendall is a counselor at Farmington High School and said she’s had some students come into her office telling her they are hungry and haven’t eaten.
She said hearing that from students “humbles” her.
Kirkendall said the effects of food insecurity can extend to a child’s physical growth, classroom performance and social life.
“If they’re focused on being hungry, you can’t focus in the classroom. They might not be able to have peer-to-peer interactions very well,” Kirkendall said. “Sometimes, that can stunt their growth if they’re not getting enough nutrients from food.
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“I know there’s a lot with testing — to eat a good meal before you take a test.”
Kirkendall said when a student comes to her for help, she makes sure the student knows they are her “No. 1 priority.”
“We talk about, ‘OK, what can we do? Are you able to get a good meal? Are you not?'” Kirkendall said. “Sometimes, people don’t realize that kids, when we’re out of school, that may be the only sustainable meal they have, or breakfast and lunch might be the two meals of the day they’re going to have.
“And so we try to help plan for that, so if that’s the case, then I might say, ‘OK, let’s see if your parents can come to the food pantry,’ or ‘Let’s figure out if we can deliver that food to your house.'”
If you would like to donate or volunteer with the district’s food pantry, you can email Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Pinkerton at spinkert@farmcards.org. For those in need of meals, you can fill out the district’s Google Form.
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