The Washington Court House City Schools Board of Education received an update at its recent meeting about the Big Blue Bus summer food program initiative.
According to Trevor Patton, marketing and communications director for Washington Court House City Schools, the Big Blue Bus, powered by SugarCreek, was made possible by several local organizations and businesses. USDA is running a summer food service program that reimburses for meals served—it also covers the funding for the food service workers.
The bus will serve meals every Monday-Friday from May 28 to Aug. 9 excluding the Fourth of July. The bus will be at Riverbirch Green at 10:45 a.m., Eyman Park at 11:30 a.m., Grace Community at 12:15 p.m. and Christman Park at 1 p.m. Kids can also go to the Washington High School cafeteria for a free breakfast starting at 8 a.m., lunch will be held there also at 11:30 a.m. and the summer food service program serves The Well at Sunnyside at 11:30 a.m. Additionally, though the bus itself does not travel there, the food program serves Jeffersonville locations, including Grace Meadows at 11:30 a.m. and Summer Tree Terrace at 11:30 a.m.
In just a few short weeks, the bus has served over 5,000 meals, according to Patton.
“It’s incredible to think that only a few months ago, the Big Blue Bus was just a dream,” Patton said. “But, through the hard work and dedication of our team at WCHCS, as well as the generosity of our community partners who believed in the importance of this mission, we were able to turn that dream into a reality. That dream is now making a real difference in the lives of hundreds of children across our county each and every day.”
To receive a meal, there is no signing in, checking IDs, or anything, all kids have to do is (if there is one) wait in line, tell the worker what flavor milk, and take the meal as they hand it out the serving window. It’s open to all children 18 and under, regardless of school district, household income, or any other reason and the district said they want all kids to come eat.
“Thanks to the USDA, there is plenty of fresh, hot and delicious food for all, so we encourage every child who is 18 or under to join us this summer,” Patton said. “The Big Blue Bus staff is an amazing team. From preparing the warm meals to loading hundreds of bags, they serve each and every meal with a warm smile. They are driving the BBB across town, doing preventative maintenance, and everything that needs to be done in order to keep us on the road each day. Many of the kids are excited to see a familiar face from school, and it’s pretty cool to see all of the high fives and hugs that come with the meals. We’re proud of all that this team does to ensure the success of this program daily.”
Patton said they are still looking for community partners for financial support as well as volunteers. For more information, anyone interested in helping the Big Blue Bus can contact the school district at 740-335-6620 or email [email protected].
The information in this article was provided by Trevor Patton, marketing and communications director for Washington Court House City Schools.
Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy.
