Prisoners Pool Funds to Pay for Kids' School Lunch Debt

Prison wages don't go far, but at one Kansas facility, they just wiped out a big chunk of kids' lunch debt. Incarcerated men in the Reaching Out From Within program at Norton Correctional Facility pooled $3,810 from their own accounts after hearing that Norton Community Schools ended the year with about $6,000 in unpaid meal bills, reports WKRC. Staff with the Kansas Department of Corrections kicked in another $457, bringing the total donation to $4,267, presented on Aug. 3 to district superintendent Corey Roy.

The ROFW program is meant for prisoners who want "to make lasting changes in their behavior and become role models for nonviolence," notes KWCH, citing a social media post from the facility. Some of the men said they knew firsthand what it was like to be hungry growing up. Roy called the effort both a boost for local families and a chance for the men to see themselves in a different light beyond the prison's walls. "I was moved at how the men I spoke with wanted to make a positive impact to help others in the community," Roy said. "I think it gave them a sense of purpose and knowledge that they made a difference for a young person they don't even know."