TEMPLE, Texas — Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story did not clarify that Temple ISD and Waco ISD already offer free breakfast and lunch for all students.
School kicks off again next week and Temple parent Mya Manuel wants to help at least one Central Texas family start the year off right.
School districts like Temple and Waco ISD both qualified for the Community Eligibility Provision which allows the nation’s highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. However, that's not the case with most Central Texas school districts.
So, on Christmas Day, Manuel posted to a Temple moms Facebook page an offer to pay off one child's outstanding school lunch balance.
"While they're getting the education, they should be able to just eat whatever they want, you know. It's just, honestly it just really breaks my heart that there are kids out there who can't eat lunch and they are refused lunch, like I don't see how anyone has the heart to just deny a child food," Manuel shared.
After she posted, the comments came flooding in, but only a few comments came from people who needed help. Instead, most came from parents like Chloe Durbin who were inspired by her idea and wanted to give back too.
"Her bringing this to life is like such a big deal to me because it's brought so many other people to come and help out students as well," Durbin said. "She's bringing to light a big issue. We have to protect our kids and our kids are our future."
Manuel and a handful of other parents plan to call school districts to ask about how they can pay outstanding school lunch balances.