Rolling this Summer to a Park Near You: 2024 “Meals on the Bus” Program

Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS) will continue serving the health and wellness of students over the summer months through the Summer Food Service Program, which begins Monday, June 3.

From Monday, June 03, 2024, through Friday, July 26, 2024, the HCPS Child Nutrition Department will operate 4 open sites, consisting of stops along two “Meals On the Bus” routes. New this year are the park locations, ensuring children can comfortably enjoy meals on-site. Each stop features picnic tables and plenty of outdoor space, enhancing the experience for our community while following federal regulations. Lunch meals will be available to children ages 2-18 at no cost to families Mondays through Fridays on the following schedules:

HCPS’ Child Nutrition Department annually participates in the USDA-funded, state-administered Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and this year will be providing meals at no cost to children at a total of 32 closed and open feeding sites.

“Closed sites” include several partner organizations serving children over the summer months requiring registration and enrollment, such as the Boys & Girls Club, The Salvation Army of Hendersonville, and WNCSource early childhood centers. All 23 HCPS schools are also considered closed sites since meals will be provided specifically to students participating in summer learning at their schools. Open sites along the “Meals On the Bus” routes are open to the public, where any child aged 2-18 may receive lunch meals during the designated times June 03-July 26.

These state-administered SFSP meals and “Meals On the Bus” operations must follow the traditional federal regulations, requiring meals to be distributed to eligible children and eaten at  the “Meals On the Bus” mobile feeding site. Federal laws and food safety standards also determine the length of the “Meals On the Bus” stops, which are annually reviewed and planned by the Child Nutrition Department in cooperation with the Transportation Department.

During the summer, North Carolina families can also text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to find summer meal open sites by location. Contact the HCPS Child Nutrition Department at 828-891-6310 for more information.

*Sites will be closed and the “Meals On the Bus” routes will not be operating on Thursday, July 4, when the district is closed in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

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