Dothan City Schools Child Nutrition Program Launches Summer Food Bus Program

Dothan City Schools Child Nutrition Program Launches Summer Food Bus Program

Dothan, AL- Dothan City Schools Child Nutrition Program (CNP) is excited to announce the launch of its pilot Summer Food Bus program. Through a generous partnership with Wiregrass Foundation, Dothan CNP will be able to feed an estimated 700 additional children across the Wiregrass.

Beginning June 15, the Summer Food Bus will have eight stops around Dothan, including Denton Apartments and Stringer Street A.M.E. Church. All children 18 years of age and under will have access to free breakfast and lunch per day per child Monday through Wednesday and two meals per child on Thursdays. The program will run throughout the summer with exclusion to school holidays.

“The DCS Child Nutrition Program is excited to kick off this pilot mobile feeding program that will allow us to offer nutritious meals to students during times when school is not in session. Helping students to stay ‘education ready’ is at the heart of our mission as a department. We’re thankful to the Wiregrass Foundation and other community partners who have helped to make this mobile feeding bus a reality,” said Tonya Grier, Dothan City Schools Child Nutrition Director.

In addition to the Food Bus’s eight stop locations, free meals will also be provided at two curbside pick-up locations at Selma Street Elementary School and Dothan City Schools Head Start. Through ongoing partnerships with local agencies, Dothan City Schools Summer Feeding program works along with Dothan Leisure Services, Department of Human Resources, and others to provide meals for Dothan’s youth. Additionally, a child does not have to be registered with Dothan City Schools to receive a free meal.

Troy Fountain, Executive Vice President for Wiregrass Foundation, said the partnership would provide our families with an opportunity to ensure children are ready for learning.

“The Wiregrass Foundation is thrilled to partner with Dothan City Schools and the Child Nutrition Program to provide nutritious meals to maximize child-readiness for the new school year. This partnership, along with other wonderful programs in our community, will come alongside parents and families to care for and prepare students for learning,” Fountain explained. “This Food Bus is a pilot program that, when successful, will have opportunities to grow with other community partnerships to make sure no child goes hungry in Houston County for the next ten years and beyond. Thanks also to the team at Tri-State Collision and Dothan Leisure Services for their hard work in making the Food Bus possible.”

The Summer Food Bus will kick off with an “Ice Cream Test Run” on Tuesday, June 9, serving Dothan Ice Cream popsicles to children along their planned route. The program and bus will officially hit the road on Monday, June 15. More information on route stops can be found on Dothan City Schools and Dothan City Schools Child Nutrition Program Facebook pages.

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