Marana Cares Mobile Offers Free Meals For Students During Breaks

It can be tough for some families during winter break, fall break, etc. when school is out of session and the cafeterias are closed. This is where Marana Unified School District’s Marana Cares Mobile comes in clutch — providing meals to those in need during school breaks.

Since the inception of the bus, they’ve served 32,870 meals to Marana students (as of October 23, 2023). From Tuesday, December 26 – Friday, December 29, you can find the Marana Cares Mobile at the following locations:

• 11 a.m. – Noon at 7341 N. Sandario Rd. (Picture Rocks Fire Department)
• 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. at 16560 W. El Tiro Rd. (Marana Domestic Water Improvement District)

Visually, Marana Cares Mobile looks pretty sweet with its air-conditioned interior and shaded exterior eating area. More importantly, it’s all about serving nutritious meals to kids being that health is critical to a child’s ability to learn.

“We are happy to do this. We do this on all the breaks. Christmas, Spring Break, fall break, and during the summer,” said Pamela Carpenter, Marana Cares Mobile driver. “We realize that some people can’t get to school. They rely on the school bus, and the school bus isn’t working now so we bring the bus to them to serve them school-type meals that they would get at school.”

Marana Cares Mobile operates thanks to support from private donations, corporate sponsorship, charitable foundations, and, exclusively during the summer months, the USDA Summer Food Service Program.

If you didn’t get a chance to take your child to one of the dates mentioned earlier, you can keep up with the bus’ schedule online. Marana Cares Mobile visits neighborhoods with a significant concentration of children who typically receive meal benefits during the school year.

Upcoming Dates: Tuesday, January 2 – Friday, January 5 (locations TBD).

To keep up with the latest schedule and locations, visit maranausd.org. If you’re interested in donating or sponsoring the Marana Cares Mobile, call (520) 682-4756.