Starting in the 2026 semester, Adelton Elementary School will officially join the NIBBLES (Nutrition in Backpacks Before Littles Exit School) program through a partnership between Bastrop County Cares and the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry.
This expansion represents an important step forward in addressing food insecurity among students in Bastrop County.
Earlier this school year, staff at Adelton Elementary began noticing an increase in students who were struggling with consistent access to food outside of school hours. As the need grew, the school reached out to Bastrop County Cares for support. At the time, the NIBBLES program was already serving multiple campuses and had limited capacity to expand without additional resources.
Through Bastrop County Cares’ role as an intermediary organization and with funding support from St. David’s Foundation, the partnership was able to come together to meet this growing need and extend services to Adelton Elementary.
“NIBBLES shows what’s possible when communities work together to support children,” said Norma Mercado, Executive Director of Bastrop County Cares. “By investing in programs like this, we’re helping families feel a little more secure and ensuring students have the nourishment they need to return to school ready to learn.”
The NIBBLES program provides weekend meals and snacks to students from low-income households during the school year, helping bridge the gap when school meals are unavailable. With the addition of Adelton Elementary, the program will now serve students across eight campuses in Bastrop County, reaching a total of 272 children, including 30 additional students at Adelton.
“Even small contributions make a meaningful difference,” Mercado added. “Just $8 can provide a child with food for an entire weekend, and continued community support helps us move closer to meeting the full need.”
To learn more about the NIBBLES program or to support its mission, visit the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry website.
“At Bastrop County Cares, our goal is simple,” Mercado said. “We want to make sure children have what they need to come back to school nourished, supported, and ready for the week ahead.”
