What began as a moment of empathy in middle school has grown into a community-driven business making an impact across Austin. Junior Ruby Chalupka is the founder of Lunchline Candles, a candle business dedicated to helping pay off student lunch debt at local schools. 

The inspiration for Lunchline Candles came from an experience Chalupka witnessed in the cafeteria in seventh grade that really left an impact on her. 

“Back in seventh grade, I saw a kid have most of his lunch taken away because he couldn’t afford it,” Chalupka said. “That moment really stuck with me.” 

After researching the issue, Chalupka learned that about three out of five families struggle to afford school lunches. This motivated her to take action and start her business. Chalupka has a clear vision in mind of why she wants to start her business and the impact she wants to leave on the community when doing so.

“I started Lunchline Candles with one simple goal: create candles that smell amazing and use them to help pay down student lunch debt here in Austin,” Chalupka said.

Lunchline Candles has grown even bigger than Chalupka had imagined and has done many great things for the community. While she acknowledges that her business is not a complete solution to student lunch debt, she believes that even small actions matter. 

“I know it’s not a full solution, but it’s my way of saying that kids should never have to worry about food at school,” Chalupka said.

Lunchline Candles not only has a meaningful purpose, but the way the candles are made is meaningful too, according to Chalupka’s close friend, junior Campbell Epperly, who has seen the business from both a personal and behind-the-scenes perspective.

“Everything is homemade,” Epperly said. “All the scents are homemade; [Ruby and her mom] put every sticker on themselves, they pour the wax and everything. The candles are made with true love.” 

Epperly first learned about Lunchline Candles during freshman year and was immediately impressed. She thought it was a cool way to help a good cause and make a difference.

“I just thought it was so cool and inspirational that she was just a freshman in high school and she made her own business,” Epperly said. 

One of the most notable parts of Lunchline Candles is how the profits are used. According to Epperly, Chalupka doesn’t run the business for personal gain. 

“She truly does give all her money to the schools in need,” Epperly said. “She does not keep any of the money that she makes from the business for herself. It’s so rare to see young people standing up for what they believe in.”

Despite the success of the business, Chalupka admits that building Lunchline Candles was not easy. One of the biggest challenges she faced was gaining visibility and trying to get people to learn about her business. She noted that it takes patience and consistency to make a difference, even when it feels slow.

“One of the hardest parts of starting my business was reaching an audience,” Chalupka said. “That taught me that success didn’t happen overnight. It takes patience, consistency, and sticking with what you’re passionate about, even when it feels slow.”

Balancing schoolwork and business responsibilities has also been difficult for Chalupka, but over time, she has developed better habits that make running her business easier with her busy schedule. 

“As much as I love running my business, it’s definitely challenging,” Chalupka said. “Over time, I’ve developed better work habits that help me stay organized. I’ve learned how to communicate confidently and use my voice.”

Those skills have led to major opportunities for Chalupka, including media features such as being on the news, podcasts, and in articles. Recently, Chalupka was featured in a story by KXAN Austin. Media coverage helped her product gain visibility and raised awareness about the cause.

“Those are things I wouldn’t have been able to do without learning how to write professional emails and speak in front of large audiences,” Chalupka said.

In addition to online sales, Lunchline Candles has been sold in-store at Parker + Scott since Nov. 2025, which is a local neighborhood general store owned by Jessica Haisley.

“We started carrying them just in time for the holidays, and to share their nostalgic scents and mission with our community,” Haisley said. 

Haisley explained that what drew Parker + Scott to Lunchine Candles was the strong connection between the product and its purpose. 

“The scent profiles spark joy and nostalgia, and each purchase directly helps pay off school lunch debt so more kids can get the meals they need,” Haisley said. “That kind of thoughtful pairing of product and purpose fits beautifully with the values we embody.”

For Chalupka, one of the best moments came when she was able to give back directly to her old middle school, where she first had the inspiration to start her business. 

“The most rewarding part of Lunchline Candles was seeing the lunch ladies’ reaction when I was able to give back to Lamar,” Chalupka said. “They were genuinely excited and grateful, and moments like that remind me why this work matters.”

Chalupka hopes her business continues to make a difference and inspire others. She also hopes it helps people in need, so no kid will go hungry.

“The message I hope Lunchline Candles sends to the community is that we’re here to do good and give back,” Chalupka said. 

Chalupka’s advice to other students is simple but meaningful.

“Find something you love and use it to make a positive impact,” Chalupka said.