Meals Matter—Every Dollar Helps
Let’s lift up Elvehjem’s kiddos this holiday season.
As of October 2024, students at Elvehjem Elementary have accumulated a combined negative school lunch balance of $4,500.
The Elvehjem Neighborhood Association is committed to raising enough funds to clear this balance (and more!) by the end of the year.
We need your help! Every dollar makes a difference—no child should have to worry about whether they can eat at school. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity!
Raised: $5,995 (as of 11/29)
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Part of the $4,500 outstanding balance was carried over from the last school year. Unpaid lunch debt across MMSD has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In the short term, they will be unable to purchase a la carte items at lunch (like a carton of milk). They will be permitted to purchase a standard lunch, the costs of which will be added to their outstanding balance. Longer term, the debt on their individual account will stay with them throughout their time in the MMSD system.
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Yes - the school is doing outreach to families who may qualify for free / reduced lunch, and offering support with the application process. Getting eligible families into this program could help mitigate the problem. Additionally, teachers have been paying out of their own pockets to help students get food and/or milk. Our fundraising efforts to pay down the outstanding balance will help both students and teachers!
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Even small donations can make a big difference in clearing a student's lunch balance! A donation of just a few dollars can cover one or a couple of school lunches for a child. As an example, a $30 donation would cover approximately 10 regular-priced lunches, or 75 reduced-fee lunches, or 60 cartons of milk. The Elvehjem community appreciates your generosity in any amount!
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Yes - the Elvehjem Neighborhood Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do it for Dana!
Our neighbor, Dana Crumpton, helped to raise awareness of the issue of lunch balances many years ago; his passion for the cause was instrumental in our previous fundraising efforts. Sadly, Dana passed away in 2019. In honor of Dana's commitment to helping students & families, we dedicate our current fundraising efforts to his memory.
Huge shoutout!
To 3 donors who went above and beyond the call to action and contributed a combined $3,351 to this fundraiser.
Rhett Roeth and his wife Laura are Elvehjem residents who recently sold their business and “wanted to keep the tradition of giving ongoing beyond the life of Discount Vials.” The kids at Elvehjem Elementary thank you greatly!
