AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas high school junior Ruby Chalupka says never forgot the moment in seventh grade when a little boy in front of her couldn’t pay for lunch. Ruby said she overheard the cafeteria worker say, “You don’t have enough money in your account.”
What happened next stuck with her for years. Austin-resident Ruby said the cafeteria worker replaced his hot lunch with an alternative meal.
“It was really sad, and I don’t know, it felt really unfair, and I wanted to do something about it,” McCallum High School student Ruby said.
What she saw is a practice that plays out across the Austin Independent School District hundreds of times a year. When students exhaust their meal plan account, the district lets students use credit to pay for 2 to 3 more meals, then they start receiving what is called a courtesy meal. The district said it serves around 600 each day, costing them $350,000 a year.
An Education Data Initiative study from August 2025 estimates Texas public schools accrue more than $930 million in school meal debt — higher than any other state in the country, including California.
A full circle moment
Nearly five years after that day in the cafeteria, Ruby walked into her old stomping grounds, Lamar Middle School, with a blank check and a mission. In the years since seventh grade, and while dealing with a full school load, she launched her business, Lunchline Candles.
Ruby sells homemade candles she makes in her kitchen in North Austin — each named after desserts like pudding cups and oatmeal cream pies. When buyers open the box with their candle, they find a note: “Every candle purchased provides one free school lunch for a kid in need.“
Right before fall break, and after weeks of financial uncertainty during what was the longest government shutdown in American history, Ruby wrote a check for $254 — paying off the entirety of the school lunch debt at Lamar Middle School.
“The lunch lady I used to be at school with was really happy about it,” Ruby said. “I can’t wait to give more and see that reaction.”
Digital Arts teacher Alissa Godina said Ruby’s act of kindness almost brought the cafeteria staff to tears.
“For a kid to do that, not only is it very positive and kind and heartwarming, but it also makes me even as an adult want to look into myself where I could have these moments or where I could make a bigger impact,” Godina said.
The donation to Lamar was the first of what Ruby hopes will be many donations to schools within Austin ISD and around Central Texas with school lunch debt. Ruby said Lunchline Candles will donate 100% of profits to schools in need during the month of November.
She’s already raised $800 more dollars, which she plans to distribute soon.
“We get to give that back soon and I am just really, really excited,” Ruby said.
The district also is trying to raise money for student meal accounts. Austin ISD’s fundraising page explains federal regulations prohibit the district’s food service department from paying this debt. According to the district, it would have to use general fund money to pay for the expense.
Students enrolled at more than 70 AISD schools qualify to automatically receive free meals without any application or documentation through the Federal Community Eligibility Provision program, but there are nearly 40 campuses in the district where students have to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
KXAN News intern Audrey Wong and Investigative Photographer Chris Nelson contributed to this report.