Mobile meal bus provides summer lunches for SMCISD students

San Marcos Consolidated ISD students can receive a free, well-balanced lunch delivered to them at three different locations around town.

SMCISD’s Child Nutrition program transports lunches to students in San Marcos on a  big purple bus fixed with tables inside. The bus makes stops at Eddie Durham Park, 205 Martin Luther King Dr., from 11-11:20 a.m.; Dunbar Park, 801 MLK Dr., at 11:25-11:50 a.m.; and the San Marcos Public Library, 625 E. Hopkins St., between noon and 1 p.m.

“We just got [the purple bus] right before COVID, and we weren't able to use it because then COVID got things locked down,” SMCISD Production Compliance Supervisor Maribel Rivas said. “We used it last year, but they were able to grab and go because of COVID. They couldn't commingle. But this year all the [COVID] waivers got lifted. So now they're able to sit in the bus, the bus has tables, so they're able to sit inside the bus now. It's different now.”

Above, kids and their families sit and eat meals on San Marcos CISD's purple bus, which transports meals to children through the school district's summer nutrition program.  Daily Record photo by Nick Castillo

SMCISD’s summer nutrition program provides meals to students who are 18 years old or younger and are enrolled in the school district. Rivas said the summer nutrition program features a different menu every day.

“We have a hot menu and then we have a peanut butter and jelly [sandwich],” Rivas said. “So, there are fruits, vegetables and milk. [The kids] see the big purple bus so that’s a plus, the kids get excited.”

Rivas added that the nutrition program picked the current locations because of programs going on in those areas.

“We started doing the library maybe eight years ago, because they have a lot of activities in the summer for the kids,” Rivas said. “Then we figure that we can bring the meals to the kids, because a lot of parents can’t come, so it's easier. We go to neighborhoods that have programs going so they can eat there.”

Rivas said anywhere between 40-60 students and adults picked up a meal each day since summer meals began on June 6. The meals provided by the purple bus remain popular despite an end to a federal waiver that allowed students and parents to pick up meals and go.

“You saw that line, they're always waiting for the big purple bus,” Rivas said. “Everything must be consumed on site, that’s the main thing because a lot of people are used to grabbing and going. Other than that, they love to sit in the bus.”

Summer meals continue through Aug. 5. Meals can also be eaten at the following locations: Bonham Pre-K, Goodnight Middle School, Mendez Elementary School, San Marcos High School, CM Allen, Allenwood, Redwood, Miller Middle School, Cuauhtemoc Hall and Wonderland School. For more information about meal times visit: https://www.smcisd.net/Page/3197.