RIFA’s Bus Stop Cafe to feed Jackson kids this summer

JACKSON, Tenn. —  It’s the coolest school bus you’ll probably ever see, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of it around Jackson.

“We kept getting this question of ‘What happens to those kids who are on Snack Backpack over the summer months?’ And we didn’t have an answer for them,” said Lindsay Dawkins, marketing and events coordinator for Regional Inter-Faith Association.

So, the local nonprofit figured it out.

“Fellowship Bible Church was kind enough, and we took out all the seats and put countertops and flooring and stools,” Dawkins said as she gave WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News a tour of the bus.

There’s enough room for 28 kids to eat on the bus at a time, and they plan on feeding about 185 every day.

“So that equals around 7,500 meals that will be served on this bus,” Dawkins said.

Starting Monday, June 3, the bus will make four stops a day.

“Allenton Heights, Lincoln Courts, Heartland Place Apartments and Rolling Acres Mobile Estates,” Dawkins said.

Students aren’t going to be able to take a seat just once or twice on the Bus Stop Cafe. It’s coming to their communities five days a week all June and July.

“We’re filling that gap where they’re actually going to get a lunch five days a week. So the community has been incredible and jumped on board,” Dawkins said.

On weekends, when the cafe is not running, they’ll still be feeding kids.

“We’re also going to provide a Snack Backpack every Friday during the months of June and July so they also have food on Saturdays and Sundays,” Dawkins said.

Then, they’ll be back again on Monday.

RIFA is always accepting donations for the Snack Backpack program. They ask for single-serve Pop-Tarts, ramen noodles, microwave popcorn, apple sauce, oatmeal, chicken noodle soup, ravioli and macaroni and cheese.