March 3, 2014— — An 8-year-old’s “heart of gold” has touched people all over the world with a campaign he recently launched to help pay for lunches of students from low-income families.

Donations have increased tenfold since Cayden Taipalus –- a third-grader at Challenger Elementary School — launched a campaign two weeks ago called “Pay It Forward: No Kid Goes Hungry.” His mom, Amber Peters, said nearly $7,000 worth of donations have purchased hot lunches for more than 300 students with plans to reach another 5,000 this week.
Cayden started the campaign after seeing another student at his elementary school in Howell, Mich., struggle to pay for their lunch.

“Cayden was in school buying his lunch and the little boy in front of him had to put down his hot lunch due to no funds on his lunch account,” his mom said about the encounter on Feb. 17. “It upset the little boy, which in turn upset Cayden.”

Cayden and his mom started recycling cans and bottles to raise money until friends and neighbors saw their efforts on Facebook and wanted to pitch in. The outreach skyrocketed to the point where people in Hong Kong were making donations.
Cayden personally delivers the money to each school before going to class in the morning. His first donation was $64 that paid for nearly 150 lunches, his mom said.

“Doing something little can turn into something big and go a long way. Paying it forward is a big deal,” she said.

School officials said every student is offered an alternate lunch that includes a sandwich, juice and fruit when they can’t afford the hot lunch options. Nearly 30 percent of students in Livingston County are enrolled for free- or reduced-priced lunch, a federal program offered to students from low-income families.

“I didn’t even ask Cayden for a name [of the boy who inspired the campaign]. I don’t want to make somebody look different. Our target focus is on reduced lunches,” she said.