MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Several businesses and organizations donated more than $46,000 to the Rutherford County School district to help pay off unpaid meal charges.
School officials say they make sure every student receives a full meal, even if a student has a charge balance or doesn’t have money with them. But that means schools must absorb the debt through activity funds.
Officials say cafeteria managers work to contact families about any food charges that are owed as well as identify if the family may qualify for the federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program, which would provide assistance the families if they qualify. However, their efforts often go unanswered.
To take care of those outstanding balances, seven organizations, businesses and individuals donated thousands to Rutherford County Schools.
B.H. Holmes Construction Co. Inc., gave more than $39,000, which was divided between eight schools in LaVergne and Smyrna. An anonyous donor gave $500 in the name of Rutherford County teen Devin Bond, whose body was recently discovered after he was missing for years.
See the full breakdown of donations below:
| Cedar Grove Elementary School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 4,100.00 |
| David Youree Elementary School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 6,500.00 |
| LaVergne Lake Elementary | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 5,000.00 |
| LaVergne Middle School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 5,000.00 |
| LaVergne Primary School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 2,500.00 |
| Rock Springs Elementary School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 6,600.00 |
| Rock Springs Middle School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 4,500.00 |
| Roy Waldron School | B. H. Holmes Construction Co., Inc. | 5,000.00 |
| | Total B.H. Holmes Construction Co, Inc. | $ 39,200.00 |
| | | |
| Blackman Elementary | Murfreesboro Baptist Church | 1,500.00 |
| Blackman High School | Tire World | 4,117.89 |
| LaVergne High School | Anonymous donor | 300.00 |
| Smyrna Primary | Anonymous donor | 500.00 |
| Unspecified | Middle TN Association of Realtors | 400.00 |
| Unspecified | Anonymous donor (in name of Devin Bond) | 500.00 |
| | Total Other Donations | $ 7,317.89 |
| | | |
| | Total Donations Received | $ 46,517.89 |
