8-Year-Old Helps Other Students Pay Off Lunch Accounts

An 8-year-old Michigan boy is warming hearts with his act of kindness for fellow students - by paying off their lunch accounts. Cayden Taipalus told WXYZ how he got the idea.

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"I was in lunch one day getting lunch. And a kid in front of me didn't have enough money, and they had to put their tray down. And that made me sad, so I went home and asked my mom, what can I do to help?"
http://www.wxyz.com/news/8-yo-helps-pay-off-students-school-lunch-debt

(AOC)
And with his mom's help, they were able to get a page on a fundraising site called FundRazr. Cayden's initial goal was to raise enough money to pay off the lunch accounts for as many kids in his elementary school as possible.

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As of Sunday morning, Cayden had raised more than $1,600. On top of paying off lunch accounts, Cayden's mom says her son hopes to put extra money into them.
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/7htY4

(AOC)
On Friday, Cayden's mom told WXYZ that her son has been able to help pay for almost 300 school lunches.

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The school's principal told the outlet that any student who can't afford their lunch will still get an alternative lunch, but added he's happy to see one of his students helping out others.

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This comes about one month after an elementary school in Utah took some heat after employees allegedly threw away students' lunches because of outstanding balances on lunch accounts.
http://www.4utah.com/home

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The Salt Lake Tribune reports employees threw away up to 40 lunches and students were given fruit and milk instead. The school district's spokesman has since apologized.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57468293-78/lunches-olsen-students-district.html.csp

(AOC)
On the FundRazr page, Cayden's mom says her son hopes to ultimately help pay off all the lunch accounts at elementary schools in the county.