Goochland schools bring back Sunshine Food Bus with free summer meals

Goochland families looking for help with summer expenses have two concrete options right now: free meal kits for children and a week of hands-on STEM camp at the county’s middle and high school complex.

Goochland County Public Schools said its Sunshine Food Bus will serve free meal kits to children ages 18 and under at Leakes Mill Park, 3951 River Road West, every Wednesday from June 17 through July 15, from noon to 2 p.m. No registration is required, and parents or guardians may pick up meals for their children. Each child can receive seven full days of breakfasts and lunches, giving families a way to bridge the stretch between the end of the school year and the return of regular cafeteria service.

The bus stop is set up as more than a food pickup. GCPS said the offering also includes free fresh produce from Lulu’s Local Food, free books and children’s activities. Adults can buy discounted meals. In a county where summer can bring higher grocery bills and fewer built-in meal routines, that mix of food, reading and activity is aimed at keeping children fed and engaged at the same time.

The program fits into a broader state and federal summer nutrition structure. The Virginia Department of Education says SUN Meals are available to any child 18 and under with no application or other information needed, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture says free on-site summer meals are available for all kids 18 and under at schools, parks and other community locations. Families looking for other nearby sites can use the USDA Summer Meals Site Finder to locate directions, hours and contact information.

GCPS is also opening a different kind of summer support: its 2026 STEM Camp at the Goochland Middle/High School Complex. The camp runs June 2 through June 5 from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., and the division says all summer camps will be held at the complex with no food service provided.

The STEM camp has two tracks. Young Engineers Construction Camp is open to students in pre-K through grade 8 and gives campers a look at building and design, real construction vehicles and guided tours of active construction sites. FTC Robotics is for grades 5 through 7, where students design, build and program robots for team competition. Space is limited in the robotics track, which is capped at 15 students. A separate Fine Arts Camp the following week shows the division is trying to cover both enrichment and child-care needs as summer begins.