San Juan launches ‘Kitchen on Wheels’ to assist vulnerable communities

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo and the director of San Juan’s Department for Community Social Development, highlighted the project’s impact Francine Sánchez Marcano

By THE STAR STAFF

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo has launched Cocina Sobre Ruedas (Kitchen on Wheels), a mobile kitchen service designed to deliver hot meals to low-income communities previously identified under the Special Communities law.

The unit also strengthens the municipality’s emergency response framework, complementing the 13 existing community kitchens.

“The well-being of our people will always be a priority. With Cocina Sobre Ruedas, we expand our ability to reach those who need it most,” Romero Lugo said earlier this week. “This initiative blends solidarity, action, and a genuine commitment to the health and quality of life of our citizens. In emergencies or in ordinary times, San Juan shows up.”

On its inaugural day Tuesday, starting at the Parcelas Falú Indoor Court, the initiative reached some 81 locations -- including elderly housing complexes, communities, and neighborhoods -- through the preparation and distribution of 9,000 hot meals from the Roberto Clemente Sports Complex kitchens. This first phase will serve roughly 30 pre-identified communities. In the event of a municipal, state, or federal emergency declaration, the mobile kitchen will be activated immediately as direct support for affected families.

The program aims to address food insecurity affecting thousands of residents in the capital city. Low-income communities, in particular, face significant disparities in access to nutritious food. Cocina Sobre Ruedas strengthens the municipality’s community support network and forms part of its broader strategy for social equity.

Francine Sánchez Marcano, director of San Juan’s Department for Community Social Development, highlighted the project’s impact.

“This initiative represents dignity for our communities,” she said. “Access to food should not be a privilege, and with this effort we ensure that every family has access to a hot meal -- even during times of vulnerability. It is a concrete action that strengthens San Juan’s social fabric.”

The program’s operations are supported by over $72,000 in Community Services Block Grant funds and $54,000 in general municipal funds, for a total of nearly $126,000 allocated to supplies and logistics. Distribution routes continued throughout the day, operating in both morning and afternoon shifts, concluding with the inaugural activity held at the Parcelas Falú Indoor Court.

Food distribution efforts are being reinforced by staff and resources from multiple municipal agencies, including the Office for the Integral Development of Women, the Office of Planning and Territorial Management, the Municipal Secretariat, Police and Public Safety Department, Emergency Management, Environmental Compliance, Human Resources, the Integrated Municipal Education System, Citizen Services, Recreation and Sports, Municipal Housing, Arts and Culture, and Operations and Maintenance.

“This initiative is only the beginning of a broader effort to strengthen San Juan’s social infrastructure,” Romero Lugo said. “We are building a city that is more prepared, more supportive, and more equitable. Cocina Sobre Ruedas will become a cornerstone of our community response and an essential resource in times of need.”