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5-Year-Old Pays Off Lunch Debt For 123 Students By Selling Hot Cocoa And Cookies

December 20, 2019

A 5-year-old student at Breeze Hill Elementary School in Southern California came to the rescue of her fellow students when she learned some had trouble paying for lunch.

Katelynn / Credit: Karina Hardee

Katelynn Hardee was confused after overhearing a parent say she was having difficulty paying for an after school program.

"She started asking me a lot of questions and I just tried to explain to her that sometimes people aren't as fortunate and that we need to try to be kind and give when we can," Karina Hardee, Katelynn's mom, told CNN.

So, Katelynn set up a hot cocoa and cookies stand to raise money for her less fortunate classmates.

She raised $80 which paid off the negative lunch balances of 123 students at her school.

"Everybody is just so proud and happy and other students are already talking about ways they can also make a difference," said Breeze Hill Principal Lori Higley. "It goes to show that even one small, kind act from a 5-year-old can mean the difference for someone in their life."

Katelynn's next goal is to raise enough money to pay off all the negative lunch balances in the district.