A substantial charitable contribution is set to alleviate food insecurity for low-income students in Maryland’s largest school district, as a local donor has committed to covering the debt incurred for approximately 82,000 meals. The donation, amounting to 0,000, was officially presented during a ceremony held at the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) headquarters in Rockville on Monday.
This crisis of school meal debt has been particularly pressing in recent years; district administrators estimate that this donation will successfully address the accumulated school lunch debt for students enrolled in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARM) program over the next two years. The FARM program serves a significant portion of the student body—Superintendent Thomas Taylor indicated that nearly half of the district’s 160,000 students have historically qualified for this assistance. While officials did not specify the exact number of beneficiaries from this donation, the impact is anticipated to be considerable.
The Montgomery County Public Schools have faced .36 million in lunch debt since 2023 alone. Notably, some of this debt originates from students eligible for the FARM initiative, whose families are not mandated to repay such debts as per district policy. However, there remains a significant portion of this debt from students who do not qualify for these programs but are nonetheless experiencing financial hardships.
For a clearer picture of the financial landscape, a full-priced breakfast in Montgomery County costs .30, while lunch prices range from .55 for elementary students to .80 for older students. Additionally, free meals are accessible to students attending high-poverty schools through established district programs.
To tackle food insecurity head-on, the MCPS education foundation has been operating the Dine with Dignity campaign since 2018, aimed at ensuring students have access to necessary meals. Yet, officials have indicated that the issues at hand exceed the resources currently available, necessitating additional interventions.
Jamie Darvish, owner of DARCARS Automotive Group—which made the donation—highlighted the economic challenges faced by many families, stating, “For many families, this is not about a lack of effort; it’s about affordability and a very challenging economy.”
The emotional resonance of the donation was evident, as Montgomery County school board president Grace Rivera-Oven shared her personal connection to the issue, recounting her experiences as a FARM-eligible student. She expressed gratitude for the gift, underscoring the necessity of community support in addressing food insecurity, stating, “We need to be the folks who bring a little ray of hope and love to them, because we are the adults.”
This donation by DARCARS serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by families in Montgomery County. It sheds light on the importance of community support systems to alleviate the burdens faced by food-insecure students and ensure their right to nutritious meals during crucial hours of learning.
