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Arby's Foundation Erases Student Lunch Debt For Over 7,000 Students

January 30, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Atlanta, Georgia.

The City Schools of Decatur announced the complete elimination of all student lunch debt, thanks to a generous grant from the Arby's Foundation.

This positive development comes as a relief for the district, which recently faced financial constraints, leading to the decision to provide alternative meals to students with outstanding lunch charges.

The Arby's Foundation

The Arby's Foundation donated over $200,000 to completely pay off not only $88,000 in lunch debt at City Schools of Decatur but also $73,272 to the Cobb County School District, $35,000 to the Henry County School District and $7,261 to the Fulton County School District.

This philanthropic effort is part of a broader $1 million nationwide initiative by Inspire Brands, Arby's parent company, aimed at alleviating school lunch debt at over 750 schools across the country.

"Childhood hunger is something that no one should ever have to face, and school lunch should be a time that kids look forward to without worrying if they'll have a meal that day," said Stuart Brown, Executive Director of Inspire Brands Foundation. "We're honored to have partnered with so many local school districts to help those students enjoy lunchtime with their classmates, and ease the burden on parents."