Local woman creates business to help pay off lunch debts



MONROE, Wash. - A Monroe mom is doing everything she can to make sure graduating seniors in the district do not have to worry about paying off lunch debts hanging over their heads.

The Monroe School District says the total lunch debt is $35, 967.78.  The district says graduating seniors make up about $2,000 of that debt.

If students don't pay their debt, their transcript and diploma may be withheld.

“They’re graduating, some as soon as next week. I just don’t want something like lunch debt to be even a thought in their head,” said Nikki Bailey.

Bailey says she heard about the issue of lunch room debt in schools in February, and just three months later she’s making a change.

“Three Point Clothing only sells shirts where 100% of the profits go toward paying down student lunch debt,” said Bailey.

Three Point Clothing is her brand she created within a few weeks. She bought the shirts in bulk, hired out a designer for the logo and got a local company to print them. Now, she’s selling them online.

“We don’t make any money off of it. It goes straight to the students," she said.

Bailey says she knows what these students are going through.

“When I was a kid, I got free lunch up until 9th grade, all through elementary school and 9th grade, and nobody ever made me feel less because of that. So, I think in a way this is me giving back,” she said.

The name of the clothing brand comes from that national average cost of lunch she says.

Bailey says her goal is to raise $3,500, enough to pay off the senior lunch debt at the Monroe School District and one or two other schools.

So far, they’ve sold about 40 shirts, and raised about $500, Bailey says.

Paesano’s Coffee and Cafe in Monroe is helping out the cause. All this weekend, employees will wear Three Point Clothing Brand Apparel raising awareness for Bailey’s efforts.

Bailey is hopeful she can raise the rest of the money to pay off the debt before Monroe School District Seniors graduate.

“If we can help, even if it’s something as small as buying a shirt, let’s do it,” said Bailey.

For more information on Three Point Clothing click here.