Inmates help pay down Northwest Kansas school lunch debt

A group of inmates at the Norton Correctional Facility has substantially paid down an unsettled lunch debt for a northwest Kansas school district, according to a report published September 4.

Norton Community Schools, USD 211, had accrued an unsettled debt of approximately $6,000 by the end of the 2025-2026 school year due to breakfast and lunch meals provided to students whose families faced food insecurity.

Members of the organization Reaching Out From Within (ROFW) organized a fundraiser this past spring to help ensure students in USD 211 have reliable access to nutritious meals.

Through the organized fundraiser, members of ROFW collected $3,810. Kansas Department of Corrections staff members contributed an additional $457, bringing the total donation to $4,267.

On Aug. 3, nearly 30 incarcerated men presented the donation to Norton Community Schools Superintendent Corey Roy during a special ceremony at the prison.

Superintendent Roy stated he was moved by the desire of the men to make a positive impact on the community. He noted that the opportunity to speak with the residents allowed them to reflect on making positive choices for themselves and others as they move forward in their lives.