A Gwinnett County elementary school got a visit from an “angel” Wednesday.
A North Carolina resident made the 400-mile drive from his home in Durham to Gwinnett’s Knight Elementary School to give its principal about $200 for students whose families have fallen behind on paying their school lunch bill.
Kyle Newman and a friend started a group called Lunch Angels about three years ago to help pay school lunch bills for financially-strapped families. Lunch Angels started with 18 schools in North Carolina. Wednesday was the group’s first time helping a metro Atlanta school.
“We’re very excited and appreciative,” said Toni Ferguson, the school’s principal.
About 40 students had overdue school lunch balances, Ferguson said. Newman learned about the problem from a friend whose daughter attends the school and confirmed plans last week to help. Newman left his home at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday and delivered his gift to the school.
Newman said the idea for Lunch Angels came after watching news coverage about a school in Utah that he said refused to give lunch to some students who were behind on their bill.
“Our jaws dropped,” Newman said. “We said ‘not here.’ “
Newman and others use some of their own money and raises cash from friends to help pay for student lunches.
Ferguson said her school would not refuse to feed a student who cannot afford to pay for a school meal. Some schools, Newman said, will pay the overdue balance themselves.
“We’re not building quality schools when we do that,” he said.
Newman said he plans to return to Gwinnett and help other schools next month.
“We’re just happy a small burden can be lifted,” he said.
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