This company is helping pay off thousands of student lunch debts in Tri-Cities

Numerica Credit Union joined a growing list of people and institutions to pay off what students owe for lunch.

The Spokane-based credit union contributed $7,350 to Tri-City schools as part of a $25,000 effort to pay for the meals in the schools that need it the most.

They targeted the schools where a high percentage of the students are struggling.

“Carrying student meal debt heavily impacts the well-being of parents struggling to make ends meet,” said Carla Cicero, Numerica president and CEO. “This $25,000 investment is one way Numerica can help our children live well by relieving a financial burden for hundreds of families this holiday season.”

While a 2018 state law doesn’t allow schools to shame students who can’t afford lunch, the debt sticks around and parents still owe the money.

This means either the school district or parents are stuck paying that bill.

Numerica is only the most recent institution to step up. Attorneys Jay Flynn and Kristi McKennon, Tumbleweeds and the Recovery and Wellness Center of Eastern Washington all put money toward Richland’s outstanding lunch debt.

Kennewick Councilman Steve Lee and his wife Jessy Lee paid off $10,700 in lunch bills for hundreds of students in Kennewick and Burbank.