Minnesota

School Children Will Receive Free Lunches Thanks to Philando Castile Memorial Fund

The fund was established in memory of Castile, who frequently paid for student lunches with his own money

A crowdfunding campaign honoring the late Philando Castile has raised enough money to pay off lunch debts at public schools across St. Paul, Minnesota, for one year. 

Philando Feeds the Children had raised more than $80,000 by Wednesday afternoon. The original goal of $5,000 is now set to $100,000, and will continue to rise. Campaign organizer and Metropolitan State University psychology professor Pam Fergus hopes to make the fund a permanent fixture, NBCNews.com

"Mr. Phil will feed his kids for as long as we can raise the money," Fergus wrote on the campaign's homepage.

Castile was known as "Mr. Phil" to the students of J.J. Hill Montessori School, where he worked as a nutrition services supervisor before being fatally shot by a police officer in 2016. 

The fund was established in remembrance of Castile, who would regularly use his own money to pay for the lunches of students in need.

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