In a humanitarian act that shocked the United States this morning, Chicago Cubs CEO Tom Ricketts and his wife, Cecelia Ricketts, quietly erased $967,000 in school lunch debt for students in 109 schools nationwide.
The news was just confirmed by school districts, causing public opinion to explode with overwhelming emotions: from surprise, emotion to deep gratitude.
According to a representative of a school district in Illinois, the Ricketts family did not hold a press conference, did not publish propaganda; they quietly contacted each district, requested to summarize outstanding lunch debt — then transferred money to settle the entire thing in one go.
In a brief statement shared after the story broke, Tom Ricketts said:
“No child should ever feel shame for not being able to pay for a meal. If we have the power to change that, it’s our responsibility to do so.”
Cecelia Ricketts added:
“A hot meal may be a small thing to an adult — but it means the world to a child.”
109 schools – $967,000 – thousands of families relieved of a burden
According to the districts that received the aid, the number of students whose debt was forgiven was more than 14,000.
Many children who were once restricted from meals or had a reputation for “lunch debt” will never have to face that shame again.
A principal in Wisconsin broke down in tears when she received the news:
“We’ve been trying to raise money for two years and we couldn’t clear it all. The Ricketts did what we thought was impossible.”
A parent from Arizona shared:
“My husband just lost his job. We owed $146 for our daughter’s food and we didn’t know what to do. When the school told us the debt was cleared, I sat down and cried. People like the Ricketts make me believe there’s still a good world.”
“A victory bigger than the World Series”
The Cubs fan community immediately called the move:
“A victory for humanity bigger than any World Series championship.”
While the Ricketts family helped bring home the historic 2016 World Series trophy, many say no achievement compares to helping thousands of children eat well without financial stress.
Many businesses and charities have expressed interest in following this example. Several charities say they are launching large-scale campaigns to reduce or eliminate lunch debt in states with the highest rates of child poverty.
“Lunch debt is a silent but brutal problem,” said one education expert. “Actions like this could spark a revolution in how we view student well-being.”
In a time of division and tension, the story of Tom and Cecelia Ricketts is a rare breath of warmth — a reminder that sometimes the greatest victories are not on the football field, but in the hearts and meals of anonymous children.
And today, thousands of students across America will eat lunch with a smile — no debt, no shame, just pure joy.
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