A holiday donation of $230,000 to Montgomery County Public Schools will help some families eliminate a significant amount of meal debt.

The donation from Darcars Automotive Group and Darcars Toyota was made through the MCPS Educational Foundation’s Dine with Dignity Program. It will chip away at the district’s outstanding meal debt of $1.36 million, according to a news release from the school system.

The donation eliminates two years of meal debt for families that are eligible for the Free and Reduced-Price Meals program, also known as FARMs. The donation ensures that eligible families begin 2026 with a “clean financial slate,” the district said.

District Superintendent Thomas Taylor called the donation an “incredible act of generosity.”

“By lifting this financial weight off our families during the holiday season, DARCARS is proving that they are not just a local business, but a dedicated partner in our mission to serve and support every student in Montgomery County.”

Jamie Darvish, owner of Darcars Automotive Group and Darcars Toyota, said school meal debt is a burden that should be far from the minds of pupils.

“No student should have to worry about affording a meal while at school,” Darvish said in the release. “DARCARS is vigorously committed to the local community and is taking meaningful action so students can focus on what truly matters: learning and growing.”

Adam Zimmerman, of Rockville, who is a parent of two students in the county’s public schools, said while he is not discounting the generosity of the donation, officials have to implement a system that assures the district and its families are not negatively impacted by the cost of feeding students.

“The donation addresses the symptom, not the cause, and the cause is when families are charged at all for school meals, debt accrues, and it’s not just a couple of dollars here and there. ... Over a million dollars spread across one of the largest school districts in the country shows just how pervasive this is.”

Zimmerman said that until families are not charged for feeding students, the problem will continue to fester.

“We would never charge a student for use of a Chromebook, or use of a textbook, or use of PE equipment in gym class,” he said. “All of those things are vital to student success, and so are meals. ... You can’t expect students to learn on an empty stomach.”

The donation was presented during a ceremony on Monday attended by community supporters, business leaders and elected officials.

Montgomery Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said the donation will help the morale of affected students.

“No student should ever feel embarrassed because their family is facing difficult times, and we are profoundly grateful for this collective effort.”