Utah students are falling behind — not in the classroom, but in the lunch line.
Data obtained by FOX 13 in 2025 found that school lunch debt across the state grew to more than $3.6 million — up 31% from 2024.
This year, FOX 13’s research shows the debt is approaching $4 million, a 7% increase since 2025.
Since FOX 13 launched the Erase Lunch Debt initiative in 2023, the need has doubled in three years.
For many families, this isn’t about forgetting to pay — it’s about trying to make ends meet. And for kids, lunch debt can mean missed meals, added stress, and a sense of shame. It’s a quiet crisis unfolding in Utah school cafeterias every day.
While donations and legislative initiatives have helped slow the growth of the debt statewide, the need still exists as many families face a widening affordability gap.
That’s why FOX 13 is stepping up and inviting you to be part of the solution.
Your tax-deductible donation will help cover the cost of meals for students whose families can’t afford to pay. It’s a simple way to bring relief to parents and make sure kids can stay focused on learning — not hunger.
Thanks to the Scripps Howard Fund, your gift will go twice as far. They’re matching all donations up to $10,000.
Want to help? Just fill out the donation form above or text LUNCHDEBT to 50155.
Every donation makes a difference. Let’s come together and lift this burden off Utah’s students — one meal at a time.
This campaign is a Fox 13 initiative in collaboration with the Scripps Howard Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions to this campaign will be used to support the Utah community and are tax deductible.
