'Santas' pay off school cafeteria debts for 215 Wellington kids

WELLINGTON — The new year has started with clean slates for Wellington Schools families, whose breakfast and lunch bills have been paid off by donors. About $4,200 in combined meal debt was zeroed out for 215 students, district Treasurer Mark Donnelly said. "People in this community are always surprising me with their generosity," he said. Andrea Helton, who runs the Wellington Schools' cafeterias, launched a "Christmas campaign" in December on the district's social media accounts. The gifts poured in — and then some. Donnelly said the full amount received to date is $6,619, with pledges for more. Valley Chevrolet, on state Route 18 near the Lorain County Fairgrounds, fronted $4,119 to pay off negative balances. Owner Brian O'Donnell has a heart for helping children, said Tracie Fahler, controller for the dealership. He is "focused on the kids, and that's why we land toward helping schools and food banks" with charitable giving, she said. Wellington Superintendent Ed Weber said Valley Chevrolet has been making donations to the Board of Education for months, helping cover activity costs and other odds-and-ends expenses. "They said, 'Let us know what is needed. We'll make sure all of this gets paid,' and they did," Weber said. "How wonderful." The start of 2023 marks the first time a new calendar year has started with every outstanding cafeteria balance paid in full, he said in a letter to Wellington families. Other donations came from the Drew Guyer Memorial Foundation, Wellington Eagles, First United Methodist Church, Wellington Women's League, Weber, Board of Education President Jessica Reynolds and several residents. "I'm just happy for our families," Weber said. "January is when all the holiday bills roll in, and they don't have to worry about a school bill." The federal government made school breakfasts and lunches free for all students for two years during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which took some financial weight off parents' shoulders. That era is over now, and Weber said it's probably never coming back, though about one-third of Wellington students still qualify for free and reduced meal prices under federal law. At the same time, there are still a lot of families struggling financially, especially in southern Lorain County, he said. Parents are working but are being slammed by inflation and making just enough that they don't qualify for government assistance. School meals are not costly — $1.85 for breakfast and $3 to $3.25 for lunch, varying by grade level — but Weber said those expenses can add up, especially for families with multiple children. About two-thirds of students with meal debt owed less than $10, according to Donnelly. For a few, the amount had soared well past $100. "It's not the kids' fault. Mom and Dad might be working, but struggling with things. Who knows what situation they might be in?" he said. The Wellington Schools want to make sure every student is fed, Donnelly said. While he expects parents to pay for meals in good faith, he said the district had $2,525 in reserve from the holiday donation drive. That money will probably be used to pay off balances again toward the end of the school year. Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.