“They told me stories about how kids, there was a kid who didn’t have enough money to pay for school lunch or pay for the pizza, and they were able to pull it from the fund and they’re able to have pizza at school that day,” he shared. “It was amazing, and I’m really happy.”

Following the success of the fundraiser, Strickland expanded his mission by aiming to clear school lunch debt in the entire Hazelwood School District — totaling 28 schools and other educational programs in the St. Louis area.