Harris County club’s donation pays off cafeteria debt for nearly 100 low-income families
The Harris County Men’s Club has donated $750 to cover the cafeteria debt owed by families of nearly 100 Creekside Intermediate School students.
According to a Harris County School District news release, the idea for the donation come from a conversation between club founder Adrine Bruce and Patricia Holloway, who serves as HCSD’s Title I parent and family engagement coordinator. She serves Creekside and Park Elementary, the district’s two Title I schools.
A Title I school is defined as one with 40% or more of its students living in low-income families, qualifying the school to receive extra federal money.
Bruce asked Holloway to let him know how the club help.
“Mrs. Holloway has a heart for the families in Harris County,” Creekside principal Lindie Snyder said in the news release. “She told me of the club’s desire to help, and I encouraged her to reach out to them, and that is exactly what she did. I am truly humbled by their generosity.”
The club is a religious and social organization founded in 1992. It has approximately 20 members.
“Our mission is to put an end to illiteracy, and if helping to pay a lunch balance will help in any way at all we are blessed and happy to do it,” club president Harry Crawford said in the news release. “The funds we receive are from the support of our community through our Thanksgiving season Boston butt sale, T-shirt sales and other outreach projects. It is such a blessing for us to see these funds put back into the community to bless others.”
Snyder originally was informed the club would donate $500. But club member Vaughn Hill added an additional $250 when he heard there was a little more needed to cover the entire amount.
“These funds will pay off the cafeteria balances for Creekside students with a small overage amount, which will be passed on to pay the balances of some students at other schools in our county,” Snyder said. “School cafeterias are a self-funded extension of our schools. Unpaid balances must be paid by the school. This donation relieves a financial burden for our parents as well as for our school budget. We are grateful.”
