Local businesses are helping to raise money for Pasco County Schools and its lunch debt.
- Business owner hopes to raise $1,500 for school lunches
- Link: GoFundMe page to help
- Link: Enrollment for free and reduced lunches
New numbers show students have racked up more than $43,000 in lunch bills.
Steve Falabella, owner of 900 Degrees Wood-fired Pizza in Wesley Chapel, thought he could help out.
"It just struck me as one of those things I knew I could help with," Falabella said. "When students get on a lunch line, they will get a regular lunch like everyone else and they will not be singled out."
The fundraiser idea came from George Agovino, who heard stories from his wife, a Pasco teacher, of kids being bullied if they can't afford lunch or had to purchase the alternative lunch for less money.
"My big thing is no child should leave a lunch line and feel defeated," Agovino said.
He's already donated thousands of his own money to schools to help kids who are getting an alternate lunch if they can't pay for the main lunch.
"These are children that are going months of getting these alternate lunches that just don't have it. These are the children we're paying for," Agovino said.
Falabella hopes to raise at least $1,500 from his fundraiser, which ran from Tuesday to Wednesday this week.
If you'd like to donate, a Go Fund Me is set up here.
In addition, Pasco schools just started enrollment for free and reduced lunches. You can see information here.
This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9/News 13. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety