MARANA, Ariz. — Students in Marana are on fall break, but the school district is still serving up free meals to those who need them.
The Marana Cares Mobile has been delivering free nutritious meals to students since winter break 2015.
“You can see it on their faces and in their eyes, they truly need this,” said Driver Pamela Carpenter.
Carpenter says the program was originally designed to meet the need for lunches during breaks from school. Like fall break this week.
“They are nutritious meals not just junk food. We give them fruit, vegetables, milk, meat everything they need in a complete meal.”
But no one expected the surge in demand a pandemic would bring.
“Since we’ve started the Marana Cares Mobile we have handed out more than 16,000 meals however during COVID we’ve handed out more than 6,000 meals,” said Marana Unified School District Spokesperson Alli Benjamin.
Benjamin says people can pick up meals for the rest of this work week at a location on Sandario Road and Anthony Drive from 11 to noon. There is also a location at the Marana Domestic Water Improvement District from 12:30 to 1:30.
"It’s been difficult for the teachers, the families, the students, and the working parents," said Benjamin. "This absolutely supplies a need in the community for folks so they can have access to a healthy lunch during this time.”
Carpenter says she feels good knowing she’s helping people during a tough time.
“We like it, we really enjoy it,” she said. It’s just part of our job it's what we do."
