Philando Castile’s Legacy Of Paying For Student Lunches Lives On

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Philando Castile Fund Pays For Student Lunches At His Old School

Philando Castile was known by all as a caring man at the school where he worked in St. Paul, Minnesota as a cafeteria supervisor. He cared so much for the children that he often paid for their lunches out of his own pocket when they were unable to–now, thanks to a local college professor, that generosity will live on through a fund that has been created in Castile’s name.

Castile worked at J.J. Hill Montessori; though some students are eligible for free lunches, some aren’t. When those students are unable to come up with the money, they end up running a debt. Before Castile was killed last summer by now-former St. Anthony, Minn., Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop, he was always ready to help students who were in need. “When a student couldn’t pay for their lunch, a lot of times [Castile] actually paid for their lunch out of his own pocket,” said Stacy Koppen, nutritional services director.

Fergus normally assigns a service project to the students in her Diversity and Ethics class, but this time, she came up with one of her own: Philando Feeds the Children. The money raised through the YouCaring fundraiser will be used to help clear lunch debts at J.J. Hill, as well as other schools.