Chobani Eliminates School Lunch Debt–Again

Idaho students, families and educators are getting a little weight lifted off their shoulders this summer. The central New York-based yogurt company Chobani will pay off over $85,000 in school lunch debt for the Twin Falls School District, according to KTVB.

Twin Falls is home to a large Chobani factory, and TFSD’s superintendent, Brady Dickinson, said the district got word late last week that Chobani wanted to cover its costs. Dickinson said there are a number of families in the Twin Falls community who struggle financially and the lunch debt they accumulate follows them throughout their children’s educations.

“Kids best learn when they aren’t hungry,” Dickinson said. “Chobani paying off this debt—it eases the burden for many of our families.”

The last thing the district wants is to say no to its students, so if families cannot pay the debt when their child graduates or leaves the district, money from the general fund must cover the debt. Chobani’s donations will allow the district to use general funds for their original purpose—curriculum and classroom utensils.

“The district is very grateful to Chobani,” Dickinson said. “We consider them a large part of our community in Twin Falls.”

This is hardly the first time Chobani has made a large contribution to pay off lunch debt in schools across America. Just one month ago, the company donated almost $50,000 to eliminate lunch debts in Rhode Island’s Warwick Public Schools, according to KTVB.