Those in the St. Paul, Minn., community remember late school cafeteria supervisor Philando Castile as someone who was always ready to help, especially when it came to his students at J.J. Hill Montessori.
“When a student couldn’t pay for their lunch, a lot of times [Castile] actually paid for their lunch out of his own pocket,” said Stacy Koppen, Nutritional Services Director for St. Paul Public Schools. “Lunches just for one elementary student are about $400 a year.”
Now, a local college professor is looking to honor Castile’s legacy and generosity with a new fund aimed at ensuring no child goes hungry at school, according to CBS Minnesota.
On Aug. 26, Inver Hills Community College Professor Pam Fergus launched “Philando Feeds the Children,” a fundraiser on YouCaring.com encouraging people to donate to help clear lunch debts at J.J. Hill. In less than a week, the page has already exceeded its $10,000 goal, amassing more than $17,000 in donations.
“In memory of Philando Castile, this site is collecting donations to pay off elementary school kids’ lunch debt,” the page reads. “The J.J. Hill school is several thousand dollars short. Some kids get free lunch, but many kids come from families with incomes slightly above the cut off. They get behind in payments, and need our help.”
Castile was shot and killed by a St. Anthony police officer during a traffic stop in July 2016. The bloody aftermath was captured by his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and broadcast on Facebook Live.
Fergus told CBS Minnesota that the former cafeteria supervisor’s death changed who she was. She said she usually assigns students in her Diversity and Ethics class a community service project but decided to do her own this time around.
To boost Fergus’ efforts, Castile’s mother, Valerie, has promised to match the final amount with her own donation, the news station reported.
“She said the only thing I want for my son is for people to remember him with honor and dignity,” the college professor said.
In addition to the “Philando Feeds the Children” fund, St. Paul Schools has started its own fundraising campaign called “Food for Thought.” It, too, allows people to donate to help pay off student lunch debts.
“That campaign helped us raise almost $40,000 [last year] and it helped almost 2,000 students who couldn’t pay for their meals,” said Koppen told CBS Minnesota. “This year, we have almost 900 students who currently appear that they need our help as well.”
