Utah student helps erase one school’s lunch debt
Mar 24, 2025, 1:00 PM | Updated: 1:14 pm
Alta High School student David Van Hafner poses with students outside Butler Elementary school after presenting a check for over $6,000 to completely erase lunch debt at Butler. (Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation)
(Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah elementary school has had its entire school lunch debt paid off with the help of an Alta High teenager.
David Van Hafner, 17, was already volunteering at a local community service center when he decided to look for a way to support young students in his community. So, he worked multiple jobs, saved his money and reached out to the Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation.
“I want those kids to go on later in their lives [and] do the same things I’m doing, because the community can help the community'” said Van Hafner. “It’s just great to see stuff like that, like the influence you have.”
DJ Bracken, executive director of the Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation, says thanks to Van Hafner’s efforts the organization was able to write a check for over $6,000 to Butler Elementary School which covered the outstanding lunch debt.
“It was a truly incredible thing,” said Bracken. “The first time I’ve seen this since running the foundation.”
Van Hafner said much of the donation came from his savings and his college fund but he would like to find a more sustainable way to help his community in the future.
Lunch debt erased
The two walked the check through the school on Friday. Van Hafner recalled the reactions of the students.
“[The students said,] ‘Oh my gosh, wait, how much money is that?'” said Van Hafner who told them the check was for $6200. “… The [students were] like, ‘Oh my gosh, wait, you’re paying that?'”
Van Hafner told the students he raised a lot of the donation.
“They just seemed so thankful and nice and it was just it was like a great experience,” he said. “I loved it so much.”
Bracken echoed the sentiment.
“Yeah, it was very exciting, it always is.,” he said. “It’s the best part of the job, of course.”
According to Bracken, the Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation started about 8 months ago and since then has raised over $50,000 to go toward the $2.8 million lunch debt across Utah schools.
Related reading: Utah Senate sends free school lunch bill to governor
