Erase Norfolk School Lunch Debt

First off, I wanted to thank each and every one of you that have already donated to the Ocean View Elementary School's Meal Fundraiser! We met our goal within 24 hours of GoFundMe being created! What an amazing achievement!

With that fundraiser came SO much positive feedback and suggestions that this one needed to be made! The Ocean View GoFundMe is still live, but many wanted to donate to their own schools and asked me if I was taking donations for other schools in Norfolk. And the answer is yes!

I spoke with the District Supervisor, and was given the total number of school meal debt owed to the Norfolk School District. She was very forthcoming and helpful on explaining how their policies work and expressed her gratitude for everything. As per November 3rd, 2017, the Norfolk School District Meal Debt was around $6,000. I, again, have set the goal above that to cover the fees associated with GoFundMe.

If you wish to donate directly you can go to the school of your choice and speak with a cafeteria manager. I am also available to take donations to the schools if you are unable! I respond to each and every donation and message through GoFundMe and on Facebook. 

Remember, just $5 is enough to cover 2-3 lunches at some schools! 

As a community, we already paid off the debt of one school but why stop there?! My overall goal is to erase the debt of all of Hampton Roads School Meal debts, it may be by knocking out one at a time, or one huge fundraiser! All of it takes time, crunching numbers, but most importantly you! Our community, our friends, neighbors and any human being on this planet reading this. 

My name is Heather DiRocco, I am a mother of three children that attend Ocean View Elementary School here in Norfolk Virigina, and I want to put a stop to children eating cold sandwiches when their lunch accounts become overdrawn. For my children's school,  $1,793 was raised over the goal in just under four days, and met it's goal in less than 24 hours! Many businesses donated directly to the school, and reached out to me to set up programs and additional fundraisers to benefit the children of Ocean View Elementary School. 

I know that as a community, that we can do this! And it will mean so much to these children knowing that someone, a complete stranger, cares so much about their future that they were willing to donate even $1 to help them eat a nutritious meal. 

This is for the children. Not for me, not for the parents, but for low income, or children whose families are just above the cutoff for reduced/free lunches, or families who are just down on their luck who are unable to pay their child's lunch balances. No child should be eating a cold cheese sandwich for lunch. They should have full tummies, ready to knock out their studies and prepare for their future! 

To learn more about the GoFundMe for Ocean View Elementary School visit: 
https://www.gofundme.com/help-a-child-have-a-school-meal

Want to help out your local school outside of Hampton Roads? You can go directly to any school and pay with the cafeteria managers!!

I will post updates as we move along! I did not expect my original GoFundMe to get the reaction that it did, and the outpouring of love and support is overwhelming! You all deserve more recognition than I can give!