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DES MOINES, Iowa — DMPS is once again able to offer free breakfast and lunch to students in the upcoming 2024-25 school year.

This will be the third year that the food and nutrition department staff is able to provide free, nutritious meals for their students. Students are automatically enrolled in this program, meaning no forms or applications are required.

“I am delighted that we can continue to provide free meals to students,” said Food and Nutrition Director Amanda Miller. “The best part is there are no hoops for families to jump through and no lunch debt for them to accrue. Every child gets in the same line and is handed the same nutritious meal regardless of their family income.”

Miller has worked towards this goal over the past several years and has seen it flourish over the past decade. The program began in the 2013-14 school year with just 13 schools, the following year they were able to add 25 schools. DMPS currently offers free meals to all of their students.

DMPS is able to provide this service due to their participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. CEP and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program work together to offer free meals to schools and districts that predominantly serve low-income children.

In addition, DMPS and USDA have worked together to provide free summer meals to Des Moines children for over 40 years.