Maryland parish pays off public school lunch debt for entire county

St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Frederick, Maryland, donated $11,800 to Frederick County Public Schools to pay off all outstanding school lunch debt for families in the district. This donation follows a previous effort by the parish to clear countywide lunch debt in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The parish Social Justice Ministry organized the collection after learning the total unpaid debt from the school system. Pastoral associate Brian McCrohan told EWTN News that the parish recognized the problem extended beyond a single elementary school, noting that inflation and rising grocery costs make it difficult for families who do not qualify for free meals to afford food.

This outreach builds on a program started in 2014, where parish volunteers partner with Yellow Springs Elementary School to provide weekend meals for students who rely on free or reduced-price lunches during the school week.