Provo Student Raises Money To Eliminate $17,000 Of School Lunch Debt

PROVO, Utah — A student at Timpview High School decided she wanted to do something about the school lunch debt in her area.

School isn’t just about learning. To Jade Viveiros, it’s also about learning to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Amid the commotion of the lunchtime rush at Timpview High school, she’s observing the bustle as an outsider.

“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten here,” she said. “I used to in middle school and elementary school, but usually I’ll just go home. I think that’s the easiest.”

Whether at school or at home, Viveiros has never gone without her lunch — but her 8-year-old sister says she saw it with her own eyes.

“A little boy in her class couldn’t afford lunch,” Viveiros said. “Her whole class decided to pitch in and make him a lunch. She gave him like three cookies, and someone else gave him half a sandwich.”

Viveiros began to wonder what it might be like for a child to be in that position.

“I know that if it were me, I’d feel really stressed and embarrassed when I was eight, to not be able to afford lunch,” she said.

The Provo City School District says it never denies a lunch to any student — nor do they give any sort of “alternate lunch” to kids with outstanding balances.

“Every student can eat, no matter what,” said Caleb Price, the district’s Director of Communications. “The financial side of it, students aren’t responsible for that, and so the schools will work with the families.”

Price says as a matter of practice, the district doesn’t directly ask students about lunch fees. While many students qualify for free or reduced lunches, he says that doesn’t mean other families don’t have difficulties in keeping up with their bills.

“When you start taking into account emergency situations, things that happen that are unexpected, it’s more than just whether they qualify for free and reduced that might determine whether or not they might be struggling,” he said. “Schools are aware of most of those, if not all of those situations, and that’s why we try to work with the schools to work with those families.”

According to Price, the district is required to have their debt balanced at the end of each year, meaning the schools themselves will pay off any school lunch debt that remains. He says their primary concern is that students know lunch is available, regardless of whether or not there’s money owed on their accounts.

But Viveiros believes there’s still an obstacle in the minds of some — especially students who are aware of their family’s financial issues, and don’t want to be a burden.

“If a kid knows that their parents are struggling, then I don’t think they’re going to ask them to pay for their lunch,” she said.

So she decided to do something about it.

“I called the school district, and found out how much all the debt was,” Viveiros said. “I was thinking maybe they were going to tell me like $50?  I don’t know what I was expecting.”

While Viveiros was told the debt at Timpview was around $900, the amount across the entire district was much higher: $17,000.

A figure that would cause most to just throw in the towel.

“That’s a lot of money,” she said.  “I mean, that could buy a car or something. I knew that I didn’t have $17,000, but I did have Instagram and social media to try to raise awareness.”

She’s been collecting money online, and with the support of the community, she’s been able to raise just short of $8,000 so far.

“I just want to make sure that kids don’t feel embarrassed when they have a negative balance,” Viveiros said. “And I think some people could be on programs like free or reduced and they’re not, so maybe just spreading awareness is the end goal.”

The experience of being around the cafeteria has caused her to start to see her own options a little differently.

“I kind of want to like, come and eat here now,” Viveiros said.

She says hearing about her little sister’s experiences helped her to see the world a little differently — and she wants to inspire others to do the same.

“Find a problem in your community, and work towards it,” she said. “Just help in any way you can.”

Viveiros continues to accept donations to go toward students’ school lunch debt. Her Venmo* account is @Jade-Viveiros. She has also started a GoFundMe* account.

*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.