Lansing Area Businesses Pay Off Student Lunch Debt

One thing sparks another. That's the story of one local business giving back to area schools.

Co-owners of Saddleback BBQ, Matthew Gillett and Travis Stoliker heard about student lunch debt in the Lansing area and made the decision to pay off Mason Public Schools existing debt.

They wrote a check for $1,753.21 in February to cover the school districts lunch debt. Stoliker told Lansing State Journal that, this was the first time he had ever heard about student lunch debt and wanted to take care of it.

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The giving didn't stop there. A couple months later, Saddleback BBQ teamed up with several local businesses and paid off nearly $6,300 worth of debt in nine area school districts.

Spencer Speerbrecker, owner of Speer Electric joined the cause after his mother, Jonna Speerbrecker came across Saddleback BBQ's Facebook post about giving back to Mason schools. About a week later, they wrote a check for $2,055.74 and were able to pay off St. Johns Public Schools lunch debt.

Speer Electric wasn't the only business to jump aboard the giving back train. Okemos law firm Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC donated more than $500 to Eaton Rapids Public Schools and $2,400 to Stockbridge Community Outreach and Dansville schools' Many Hands fund.

According to Saddleback BBQ's Facebook page, they were able to pay off more lunch debt with the help from customer donations. Almost $2,000 were donated to DeWitt, Okemos, Fowlerville, Perry, Portland and Morrice.

We've had NUMEROUS schools reach out to let us know that they have been overwhelmed with offers to pay down debt. We are SO amazed at how well this went. What issue should we take on next?