A nutritious meal is something every student needs to succeed, but for many families, those costs can quietly add up.
“Lunch debt in the school district is probably the highest I've seen it, ever,” said Helena Public Schools food services director Robert Worthy.
According to the Helena Public Schools business office, while the number fluctuates, the total outstanding balance owed for their free and reduced meals program stands at nearly $154,000.
In an effort to bring that number down, the ScareLadies were born. What they do is simple - they gather thrifted clothes and transform them into “ScareLadies”, a scarecrow on a PVC pipe. The nonprofit donates the funds raised towards the district's meal debt.
“Feeding them is a small part of what helps a kid do well in school,” said ScareLadies president Sue Faulk. “That's just a rising feeling for us to help kids out.”
In recent years, the school stopped turning kids away from eating lunch and offering the program for those who need it. However, seniors who don’t have their debt paid are at risk of not receiving their diplomas after graduating.
Every two weeks, the district emails parents dealing with the debt, but some families simply can’t afford it.
“Do we take meals away from kids?” Worthy asked. “It's not their fault, so we kind of allow them to borrow a meal. no matter what happens, we're gonna keep feeding those kids.”
“I know that great kids are in difficult situations, and it has nothing to do with the kid,” Faulk said.
The five ScareLadies work out of co-president Tracy Halubka’s garage, meeting regularly to put them together and find them a home out in the community.
Now, what originally started as a fun arts and crafts project is already leaving an impact on affected families.
"A family came up, and they had two or three little kids, and so one of us is telling them our little spiel, and they said, yeah, we're part of that school debt,” Faulk recalled.
So far, the scareladies say they’ve already received plenty of donations, whether it's materials to put them together or direct donations to lower the debt.
School officials say they appreciate the work done so far, looking to keep offering nutritious meals for those in need.
“Groups like this may actually help us reach that goal of trying to get it where at least it's sustainable,” Worthy said.
The ScareLadies hope to raise $5,000 by the end of this school year, directed towards seniors about to graduate.
They plan to sell the ScareLadies at local events, like the farmers' market, to get the ball rolling. More information about how you can help can be found here.
