There IS such a thing as free lunch.
Abbott Elementary has always given a portion of their marketing budget to initiatives that support teachers and students in need. They’re doing the same thing this year ahead of their season three premiere, but this time they’re going on the road, Variety reported.
And they’re bringing lunch. On Feb. 1, six days before the third season’s premiere, the Lunch Break with Abbott Elementary National Tour will start in New York City. The show has a supersized, street-legal Abbot Elementary-themed lunch box transport. The vehicle will stop in 18 states, for teachers and staff of Title I school districts. Title I schools are those in need of financial assistance for the education of children of low-income families.
Abbott Elementary and donations
The school districts teachers and staff will receive Abbott Elementary tin lunch boxes that have sandwiches, sides and beverages that are from the local business in the cities the vehicle will visit. It also includes Abbott Elementary tote bags with school and desk supplies. The show’s tour aims to distribute more than 10,000 school supply items.
The oversized lunch box will also be making surprise pop-ups at landmarks so fans or even just the curious can take selfies. The tour will kick off in New York, then travel on to Philadelphia the next day, Atlanta on Feb. 5, Dallas on Feb. 7 and Los Angeles on Feb. 14. It will also make stops in a number of smaller cities along the way.
The show has carried out previous charitable initiatives such as the spring 2021 collaboration with Scholastic. The publishing company, together with the show, set up free book fairs at underserved and underfunded schools. It also had a second round in the fall of that year.
For season two’s premiere, Lakeshore Learning and New York & Company launched sweepstakes which offered teachers shopping sprees to buy school supplies (Lakeshore) and clothing (NY & Co.). The show also, in partnership with French Toast, donated uniforms to Title I schools. It also partnered with Lifetime Brands’ S’well and donated 10,000 reusable water bottles to students across the country.
DonorsChoose also worked with the series and ABC affiliates to identify and give funding to several local “teachers of the week.” They also set up a donation matching program to help fundraise to projects led by teachers.
Just in time for the LA stop, the show will premiere its third season on Feb. 7