'Lunch Angel,' local teacher pay off students' lunch balances

HOUSTON – A teacher at the Harmony School of Exploration in southwest Houston was heartbroken. Second grade teacher Rebecca Briscoe kept seeing the daily school email, showing teachers and administrators the growing, unpaid, lunch balances at the school.  

Briscoe said 185 students were more than $1,500 behind on their lunch balances.  She knew something had to be done since an unpaid balance could mean a snack, and not a full meal, for a student.
 
She remembered seeing a KPRC 2 story two years ago about a man who has become known as the “Lunch Angel.”  She contacted KPRC and was put in touch with the “Lunch Angel,” Kenny Thompson.
 
"I said, sir, I'm calling out of desperation.  I really need your help,” said Briscoe. She told Thompson, "I'm a second grade teacher, my kids are coming up crying, my heart is broken, don't know what to do."
 
On Wednesday morning, Thompson arrived to the cheers and thanks of Briscoe’s nearly 30 second graders.  They made a banner that stretched across the hallway to greet him.  

He said he responded to Briscoe’s plea, because no child should go without lunch at school.  Thompson emotionally said, "This is why we do this! Take care of these kids. ; It’s real important to me and my foundation."
 
While the “Lunch Angel” brought the check, Briscoe’s students brought the gratitude.  

She said, "There are people that will land a hand if you just go and ask for the assistance."
 
Thompson said, "We're going to keep moving forward to make sure these kids get fed at school."  

He said his nonprofit has helped 200,000 kids in the last two years.  If anyone would like to help, please visit http://www.feedthefutureforward.org/