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.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
