DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education today awarded nearly $900,000 in competitive grants to 38 school districts and other qualified organizations to help more Iowa children and teens access nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months. The grant awards will support 61 new summer meal sites in areas not previously served through expanding participation in two existing state-administered, federally funded summer child nutrition programs.
“Through partnerships with schools and community-based providers, the Summer Meal Expansion Grant builds upon family-focused solutions to support child nutrition and well-being in the summer,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “We commend the awardees for their leadership in growing the reach and impact of these programs, providing children with no-cost, healthy meal options in enriching environments this summer and beyond.”
The Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option–funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), administered by the Iowa Department of Education and operated by school districts and local organizations–can be found in communities throughout Iowa. These sites provide nutritious meals and snacks to children in low-income areas during the summer months. Summer sites offer meals for all children and teens age 18 and under at no cost to families.
The Department awarded each of the following sponsors a Summer Meal Expansion Grant to launch one or more new summer meal sites.
- Adel DeSoto Minburn CSD*
- Adel Elementary School
- Bedford CSD*
- Bedford Elementary School
- Bennett CSD*
- Bennett Elementary School
- Bettendorf CSD
- Bettendorf Middle School
- Boone CSD
- Ledges Elementary School
- CAL CSD*
- CAL Elementary School (Latimer, IA)
- Cardinal CSD*
- Cardinal High School (Eldon, IA)
- Cedar Rapids CSD
- Noelridge Park
- Cedar River Academy at Taylor Elementary
- Truman Early Childhood Center
- Centerville CSD*
- Lakeview Elementary
- Central CSD*
- Central Middle School/High School (Elkader, IA)
- Elkport/Garber Community Center (Elkport, IA)
- Volga City Opera House (Volga, IA)
- St. Olaf Civic Center (St. Olaf, IA)
- Central Lee CSD*
- Central Lee High School (Donnellson, IA)
- Clarinda CSD
- Clarinda High School
- Colo Nesco CSD
- Colo Nesco Middle School/ High School (Colo, IA)
- McCallsburg School (McCallsburg, IA)
- Colo Nesco Elementary School (Zearing, IA)
- Council Bluffs CSD
- Carter Lake Public Library
- Crescent Elementary
- Kanesville Learning Center
- Davenport CSD
- Lincoln Resource Center
- Central High School
- McKinley Elementary School
- Des Moines Public Schools
- South Glen Apartments
- Melbourne Apartments
- Estherville Lincoln Central CSD
- Thoreson Park
- Estherville Old Pool (City Pool Bathhouse)
- Hampton Dumont CSD
- Hampton Public Library
- La Luz Centro Cultural
- Hampton City Park
- Indianola CSD
- Indianola High School
- Iowa City CSD
- Hills Elementary School
- Maple Valley-Anthon Oto CSD
- Soldier Speedee Stop (Soldier, IA)
- Marion Independent CSD*
- Starry Elementary School
- Northeast Iowa Food Bank
- Lansing Public Library (Lansing, IA)
- Northwood Kensett CSD*
- Northwood Kensett Elementary School (Northwood, IA)
- Osage CSD*
- Lincoln Elementary
- Oskaloosa CSD
- Webster Elementary School
- College Avenue Friends Church Park
- Ottumwa CSD
- Evans Junior High School
- Taft Circle Apartments
- Eisenhower Elementary School
- Riceville CSD
- Cedar Valley Produce Auction House (Elma, IA)
- River Valley CSD
- River Valley Elementary School (Washta, IA)
- Riverside CSD
- Riverside Middle and High School (Oakland, IA)
- Carson Elementary School (Carson, IA)
- Shenandoah CSD
- Shenandoah Elementary/Middle School
- Shenandoah Public Library
- South O'Brien CSD*
- South O'Brien Elementary School (Primghar, IA)
- Spencer CSD
- Spencer High School
- St. Albert Catholic School/Council Bluffs Area Catholic Education System*
- Saint Albert Secondary School
- Story Medical Center*
- Rolling Hills Mobile Home Park (Maxwell, IA)
- Collins Maxwell High School (Maxwell, IA)
- Collins Maxwell Elementary School (Collins, IA)
- Vinton Shellsburg CSD
- Tilford Elementary (Vinton, IA)
- Waterloo CSD
- Highland Elementary School
- Waukee CSD
- Vince Meyer Learning Center
- Autumn Ridge Apartments
*Indicates a new summer meal program sponsor
“These two summer meal programs were created to help ensure children in low-income areas who rely on school meals during the school year don’t go hungry during the summer months,” said Kala Shipley, bureau chief for nutrition and health services at the Iowa Department of Education. “Last summer, more than 1.6 million meals and snacks were served to children through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option site sponsors, and we are excited to support more children with meal sites in previously underserved areas.”
The 61 new site locations are in addition to returning meal site locations. Last summer, more than 500 meal sites operated across the state. These sites are located in a variety of settings, including schools, churches, community centers, parks, libraries and camps. Many sites also offer enrichment opportunities for children, such as reading, physical activity and nutrition education.
In determining awards, competitive applications demonstrated sustainable plans for offering summer meal programming for a minimum of four weeks to children in new locations where at least 50 percent or more of the children were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year.
Award amounts were determined based on alignment with grant objectives, whether the sponsor was new or existing, the number of proposed new sites and the needs of the children served. Allowable uses of funds include local food purchases, program outreach and other operational expenses not covered through federal program reimbursement. Grant funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis after site location operating budgets are finalized.
Funds for the Summer Meal Expansion Grant are provided through State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Additional information on the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant can be found on the Department’s website.