After Student Is Denied A Hot Lunch, 8-Year-Old Boy Fundraises To Pay Off His Friend’s Debt

Jan 11, 2023 by apost team

It’s heartbreaking to know that there are children in the world who can’t afford some of the basic necessities of life. Unfortunately, one of those basic needs that many kids take for granted is having a hot lunch at school. When an 8-year-old boy found out that one of his friends couldn’t afford a hot, filling meal from the school cafeteria, he knew that he needed to take action. His response to the situation was nothing short of incredible.

In February 2014, Cayden Taipalus noticed that a student at Challenger Elementary, his elementary school in Howell, Michigan, wasn’t able to get a hot lunch because there was no money available in the child’s school lunch account. Instead, the student was just given a plain cheese sandwich to eat.

The school offered an alternate lunch including a sandwich, juice and fruit for children who couldn’t afford the hot lunch options. "It upset the little boy, which in turn upset Cayden,” Cayden’s mom Amber Peters told ABC News Today.

When he told his mom about it later that afternoon, Cayden was distressed by the scene he had witnessed. The 8-year-old wanted to do something meaningful to make sure his friend wouldn't be denied a hot lunch anymore.

So, Cayden's mom helped him. They first started recycling cans and bottles to raise money. Soon afterward, their friends and neighbors heard about their efforts through social media and wanted to help in giving back to kids in need.

Peters then helped Cayden set up a fundraising web page entitled "Pay It Forward: No Kid Goes Hungry." The young boy let his friends, neighbors and family members know about his efforts, who all eagerly contributed to helping him pay off his friend's lunch bill.

Peters couldn’t be more proud of her son. "I am so very proud of my son," she told ABC News Today. "He is only 8 years old and to grasp the concept around this is just amazing in my eyes. He has a heart of gold."

Cayden’s initiative, “Pay It Forward: No Kid Goes Hungry,” has been a huge success. Cayden delivered the money to the school before going to class each morning. His first donation of $64 helped pay for almost 150 lunches. The fundraising page grew exponentially, reeling in $7,000 worth of donations. What started out as a small effort continued to skyrocket to the point that people from as far as Hong Kong started pitching in.

"We went from just paying off his elementary school to paying off the entire Livingston County," Peters said. The proud mom added: "Doing something little can turn into something big and go a long way. Paying it forward is a big deal.”

Peters also shared that Cayden didn’t care about the media attention he received following the fundraising efforts – he just wanted to help as many students as possible. She said: "I didn't even ask Cayden for a name (of the boy who inspired the campaign). I don't want to make somebody look different. Our target focus is on reduced lunches.”

Thomas Gould, the director of public relations for Howell Public Schools, was also impressed by the 8-year-old’s actions. "What Cayden is doing is very generous and it shows how caring all of our students are," he said. "It's also important to know that all of our kids are offered lunch no matter what."

This inspiring story goes to show how each person, no matter how small, can make a difference in the lives of those around them.

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What do you think about Cayden's idea for helping other children be able to afford hot lunches? Have you ever done anything to help someone in need? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this story along to show others the power of compassion in action.