ByBriana Collier|May 11, 2020 at 5:53 PM EDT - Updated May 11 at 5:53 PM
BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Some families in Bryan County now have one less burden to worry about as the school year wraps up. Members of the community wiped away $4,291 dollars worth of student lunch debt in the entire county.
The debt needed to be paid off by May 22nd, but with the power of social media and people in the community coming together..that balance didn’t last long.
“After the first two hours, we were already almost halfway there,” said Jackie Arbogast. She started the GoFundMe. “By the time I woke up the next day after 18 hours we had accomplished our goal.”
Jackie Arbogast knew it was a balance she couldn't cover by herself, so she decided to start a GoFundMe. A way for families to help families.
The debt was covered almost 80 donations later..
"There's no "I" in team we are one Bryan County, with that being said as an organization we saw a need."
For Sisterly Act Incorporated organization member Jamira Williams, her organization picked up the remaining balance after community members pitched in.
“I wanted to transfer those funds that I was going to use for my daughter’s senior bash and prom, I wanted to transfer those funds to Sisterly Act Inc.,” said Williams.
For both Williams and Arbogast, they say even in the midst of division and uncertainty in the world, for once none of that mattered.
“A lot of times there’s division because the county of Bryan County is divided with Fort Stewart geographically so it always seems like it’s a South Bryan, North Bryan thing or it’s Richmond Hill versus Pembroke, or old Richmond Hill people who have lived here for 30 years versus newbies like myself who’ve only lived here for four years, or white, black, brown and there was none of that in this.”
Photo: Getty Images