End School Lunch Debt for 2,000 US Children!

Financial & Campaign Status (This Quarter)

• Total Campaign Goal: $100,000
• Funds Raised (to date): $320
• Remaining Amount: $99,680
• Number of Donors: 5
• Monthly Donors: 0
• Campaign Phase: Active Fundraising & Partnership Readiness

Dear GlobalGiving Community,

Thank you for standing with American Aid (A A Relief) as we work to end school lunch debt for 2,000 U.S. children through our Close the Lunch Gap Fund. This quarter, our project grew from 3 donors to 5 donors, bringing total funds raised to $320. While we still have a long way to go to reach our $100,000 goal, each gift is a real step toward ensuring children are not denied meals, shamed at the register, or forced to learn while hungry.

Progress This Quarter

Even as inflation continues to strain family budgets, we continue to strengthen the operational foundation required to deliver lunch debt relief responsibly and with dignity. This quarter, we focused on:

- Maintaining and expanding outreach to school and community stakeholders to identify where lunch debt is most urgent.

- Reinforcing our implementation approach: payments will be made directly to schools to erase student lunch balances and protect student privacy.

Community Need & Dignity Focus

The need remains severe and urgent:

- 1 in 5 U.S. children (nearly 13 million) live with hunger.

- Families face food costs that are about 25% higher than 2020, forcing impossible choices between meals, rent, gas, and utilities.

- Nationwide, school lunch debt has reached $19 billion, and students can experience stigma and humiliation when they cannot pay.

We continue to center dignity in this work. One mother shared a truth we hear often: “Free meals meant I could buy groceries until payday.” Another parent told us, “My daughter won’t go to the cafeteria anymore—she’s too embarrassed.” These stories are why we exist: food is the most important school supply, and no child should be punished for a family’s financial hardship.

Challenges & Strategic Response: Challenge: Funding is still in early stages

With $320 raised to date, we are still in the early phase of fundraising, which limits how quickly we can scale direct debt relief.

Our response:

- Intensifying donor outreach and campaign visibility to convert awareness into consistent giving.

- Structuring the project for incremental impact, so we can begin debt relief as soon as sufficient funds are available (rather than waiting for full funding).

- Continuing to build school and counselor relationships so funds can be deployed quickly and transparently.

Next Quarter Plan

In the next quarter, we will:

1. Expand targeted outreach to donors and community partners to accelerate fundraising momentum.

2. Launch stronger, story-driven campaign communications emphasizing clear impact levels: - $25 provides 1 week of lunches - $100 erases a family’s lunch debt

3. Prepare to initiate the first round of lunch debt relief payments directly to partner schools as soon as available funding allows.

Expected Impact

As funding grows, this project will:

- Remove lunch debt barriers so children can eat consistently at school.

- Reduce stigma and protect student dignity.

- Help families regain breathing room in their budgets and connect to longer-term nutrition support.

- Improve educational outcomes: well-fed students are more likely to attend regularly, focus in class, and succeed.

Thank you for helping us close the lunch gap—one child, one family, and one school at a time.

With gratitude and determination,
The American Aid (A A Relief) Team
IRS-registered 501(c)(3) — all donations are tax-deductible