Ruby Chalupka was in the seventh grade at Lamar Middle School in Austin, Texas, when she saw a younger student receive a reduced meal because he didn’t have any money left in his lunch account. She later learned that this situation is common in her school district, and the experience led her to start thinking about how she could help, and eventually to her creating her business, Lunchline Candles.
Now a junior in high school, Ruby recently returned to her middle school with a check for $254, enough to pay off the school’s entire lunch debt. She raised the money through her candle business, which she runs from her North Austin kitchen while juggling a full class schedule. Each dessert-themed candle she sells comes with a note explaining that every purchase provides a free school lunch for a child in need.
Staff at Lamar Middle School reacted with gratitude, and Ruby says she hopes to support more schools across Central Texas. She’s excited to keep giving, has already raised an additional $800 to distribute, and plans to donate 100 percent of her November profits to paying down meal debt.