A new group in Pasco County is working to make a difference in kids' lives by clearing negative lunch balances at local schools.
Jeremy Blythe, a former teacher, found himself with a little extra cash. So he used the money to help pay off a little bit of lunch debt at a local Pasco County school.
He also encouraged his friends on social media to do the same, and that's when the mission took off.
Friends of friends started sending him money to help; one local business even joined the cause.
Ukulele Brands has been a staple in the community for years, even feeling the need recently after a car drove through their business, but they continue to give where they can.
"A couple hours later, he sent me a list with a few different schools with some high balances. And I chose the closest one to the restaurant. And it wasn't the monetary amount that I chose, it was the closest to the community that I'm in. And we just decided to take care of that," said Jennifer Fisher, GM of Ukulele Brands.
Blythe has since started a Facebook page, "Pay it off Pasco," where he posts about where donated money is going. In such a short time, they've raised nearly $4,000.
But there are plenty more places to help.
Breakfasts and lunches at Pasco County schools are free this year, but these are debts from previous years that may prevent students from doing certain things, like getting a diploma.
"I feel incredibly lucky, you know, to be able to continue to build local relationships with businesses and partnerships and just have those connections where we can continue to reach out and help because I think, you know, more than ever, families need help. You know, there are a lot of families out there that need the support, and just this little bit of relief can hopefully give them some more breathing room," Blythe said.
