Marana Cares Mobile Bus brings free lunch to the town's more rural regions

MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — School’s out for the summer, meaning kids around Arizona have freer schedules but also fewer chances for reliable daily free lunches provided by public schools.

For over a decade in Marana, the Marana Unified School District has gone mobile to try and bridge that gap with the Marana Cares Mobile bus, an old school bus turned air-conditioned cafeteria on wheels.

“It’s just important that they’re able to eat and fuel their little bodies,” said Amber Brown, a Marana Unified School District Food Service Supervisor.

Every weekday, she’s serving up hot and cold meals to about 50 kids each day.

“I make sure [the meal] has got fruits and vegetables, and I always offer those kiddos milk,” Brown said. “So they get protein; they get whole grains.”

The bus functions mainly as a cafeteria, but it didn’t start that way. The bus began as a mobile multi-resource center, but after a while, MUSD Director of Public Relations and Community Engagement Alliance Benjamin says they narrowed down their offerings.

“What we found is that families really just need access to food,” she said.

Though the bus runs year-round, it sees a spike in guests during school breaks. Six MUSD schools regularly offer free breakfasts and lunches.

1. Butterfield Elementary Cafeteria (3400 W. Massingale Rd.)
2. DeGrazia Elementary Cafeteria (5051 W. Overton Rd.)
3. Estes Elementary Cafeteria (11280 W. Grier Rd.)
4. Picture Rocks Elementary Cafeteria (5875 N. Sanders Rd.)
5. Quail Run Elementary Cafeteria (4600 W. Cortaro Farms Rd.)
6. Roadrunner Elementary Cafeteria (16651 W. Calle Carmela)

The Marana Cares Mobile bus helps reach some of the more rural areas with two daily stops.

1. Picture Rocks Fire Department from 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. (7341 N. Sandario Rd.)
2. El Tiro Rd. And Anaway Rd. from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. (16560 W. El Tiro Rd.)

“Especially here, we’re not really close to any grocery stores,” said Brown at the El Tiro stop. “I feel like for these kiddos, it’s especially important that they can get a hot meal at any break when they might not be at school.”

These meals aren’t just. For MUSD students, any child under 18 can show up and get a free lunch at the Marana Mobile Cares bus, as long as they stay to finish their meal on the bus.

To see the full free meal schedule, head to the Marana Unified School District Website.

For other resources, like hygiene, clothing, diapers or household goods, contact the Marana Unified School District Resource Center.