Help Pepsi payoff school lunch debt for students in Sweetwater County
In conjunction with its Cans for Cans Food Drive and Pepsi’s Packing Out Hunger events held each December, Western Wyoming Beverages is excited to launch an additional program aimed at fighting food insecurity in Western Wyoming, “Pepsi’s School Lunch Payoff.” The objective of the fund drive is to pay off the school lunch debt of students in need in Western Wyoming.
In Wyoming, 1-in-8 children struggle with food insecurity. During the COVID-19 pandemic the USDA created a program to fund school lunches for all students across the country. Unfortunately, those programs have now expired, creating a tremendous financial burden for families in our community struggling around the holidays season. Although there continues to be a “Free and Reduced” lunch program for families that qualify, those programs simply are not enough for some families. WWB decided to help by creating the “Pepsi’s School Lunch Payoff” fund drive that will take place from December 1-14.
“I have always been inspired hearing stories of people who pay off the school lunch debt for the students in their community. We routinely have people that cannot attend one of our current food drive events and ask, “how else can I help?” After meeting with administrators from our local school district and hearing how real the problem is in Sweetwater County, the school lunch payoff idea was born. While individually we might not have the means to go payoff the school lunch debt for an entire district, collectively if we all chip in a little we can do a lot of good for the young people in our community,” stated Sean Valentine, President and CEO of Western Wyoming Beverages.
The average school lunch debt for students in need is about $15. Therefore, WWB is encouraging monetary donations of $15 for one student to end the calendar year debt free, or $23 to start the new year with a positive balance. While these amounts are encouraged, any donation is greatly appreciated and helps support students in our community.
To donate, please visit: https://westernwyomingbeverages.betterworld.org/campaigns/SchoolLunchPayoff
All donations this year will benefit the Sweetwater County School District #1. In the future, Western Wyoming Beverages hopes to expand the program to other school districts in Western Wyoming.
For more information regarding food insecurities in Wyoming, visit the Wyoming Hunger Initiative website here.
In Wyoming, 1-in-8 children struggle with food insecurity. During the COVID-19 pandemic the USDA created a program to fund school lunches for all students across the country. Unfortunately, those programs have now expired, creating a tremendous financial burden for families in our community struggling around the holidays season. Although there continues to be a “Free and Reduced” lunch program for families that qualify, those programs simply are not enough for some families. WWB decided to help by creating the “Pepsi’s School Lunch Payoff” fund drive that will take place from December 1-14.
“I have always been inspired hearing stories of people who pay off the school lunch debt for the students in their community. We routinely have people that cannot attend one of our current food drive events and ask, “how else can I help?” After meeting with administrators from our local school district and hearing how real the problem is in Sweetwater County, the school lunch payoff idea was born. While individually we might not have the means to go payoff the school lunch debt for an entire district, collectively if we all chip in a little we can do a lot of good for the young people in our community,” stated Sean Valentine, President and CEO of Western Wyoming Beverages.
The average school lunch debt for students in need is about $15. Therefore, WWB is encouraging monetary donations of $15 for one student to end the calendar year debt free, or $23 to start the new year with a positive balance. While these amounts are encouraged, any donation is greatly appreciated and helps support students in our community.
To donate, please visit: https://westernwyomingbeverages.betterworld.org/campaigns/SchoolLunchPayoff
All donations this year will benefit the Sweetwater County School District #1. In the future, Western Wyoming Beverages hopes to expand the program to other school districts in Western Wyoming.
For more information regarding food insecurities in Wyoming, visit the Wyoming Hunger Initiative website here.