COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The people who took an oath to protect and serve their community are giving back in a big way, as they promise to help pay off the school lunch balances of children in need.
On Wednesday, the Cobb County Community Affairs Unit and a Marietta chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police visited three schools - Sanders Elementary, Lindley Middle and Pebblebrook High - to help pay off each schools' "Reduced Price Lunch Program" balance.
"This effort benefits those Cobb families who, on a daily basis, struggle financially to afford a school lunch for their child," the department wrote on their Facebook page.
According to a 2018 report from the School Nutrition Association, 75 percent of US school districts have unpaid student meal debt. That can make things tough at school and home for families struggling to make ends meet.
According to the department, Cobb Police and the Fraternal Order of Police have set a goal to eliminate all lunch balances throughout the county in 2020.
"Cobb PD and the F.O.P. are honored to have this opportunity, which is Community Partnership at its best," the department added.
Anyone interested in helping making a donation to this cause is asked to visit www.foplodge13.org.
Photos: Cobb County Police helps pay off school lunch debt
The Cobb County Police Department isn't the only group looking to help make sure kids get the nutritious meals they need during the school day. Last month, a local business went to Buford City Schools to reset the lunch debt balance to zero to start off the month of November.
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