Central Iowa Shelter and Services offers free meals to Des Moines Youth throughout the summer prepared by its Community Kitchen. Anyone ages 18 and under is invited to attend one of the many meal sites in Iowa to receive free and nutritious meals.
More than 40,000 students in central Iowa qualify for free or reduced-price meals, but approximately 3,000 children take advantage of free meals during the summer. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s anticipated that this number has grown.
Meal sites are located at schools, parks, or other organizations, and site sponsors – or hosts – are approved by the Iowa Department of Education and offer grab-and-go meals prepared in our Community Kitchen. Anyone up to age 18 can receive a free meal regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability,. No registration or sign up is required. Children do not need to be present due to new USDA guidance.
Central Iowa Shelter & Services’ sites begin serving meals on June 12,13 or July 5 and run every week during the summer Monday-Friday at various times and locations.
Our 2023 Sites:
Columbus Park: 1921 SE 1st St, Des Moines, IA 50315
Open to the public June 12 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Crivaro Park: 1105 E Railroad Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Tuesday – Friday from 12:30 PM – 2 PM
Drake Park: 2300 Drake Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Evelyn K Davis Park: 1400 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 10:30 AM – 12 PM.
Forest Ave Library: 1326 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314
Open to the public Monday – Thursday from 4 PM – 8 PM
Open to the public Friday from 4 PM – 6 PM
Open to the public from Saturday 4 PM – 5 PM
Fourmile Community Center: 3711 Easton Blvd, Des Moines, IA 50317
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 3 PM – 4:30 PM
Grubb Community YMCA: 1611 11th St, Des Moines, IA 50314
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 4 PM – 5:30 PM
Martin Luther King Jr. Park: 1650 Garfield Ave, Des Moines, IA 50316
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Meadow Village: 810 S R St, Indianola, IA 50125
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 12:30 PM – 2 PM
Oakridge Community Center: 1401 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50314
Open to the public July 5 – August 23, Saturdays only from 12 PM – 1:30 PM
Pioneer Columbus Community Center: 2100 SE 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50315
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 3 PM – 4:30 PM
Prospect Park: 1225 Prospect Rd, Des Moines, IA 50314
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Monday – Friday from 10:30 AM -12 PM
Sunset Park: 4463 E Oakwood Dr, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Tuesday – Friday from 12:30 PM – 2 PM
Union Park: 725 Thompson Ave, Des Moines, IA 50316
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Tuesday – Friday from 12:30 PM – 2 PM
Water Works Park: 2201 George Flagg Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50321
Open to the public June 13 – August 23, Tuesday – Friday from 12:30 PM – 2 PM
To find a meal site near you, go to www.summermealsia.org, call 211, or text “Food” or “Comida” to 877-877. Services are available in English and Spanish.
FIND A SITE NEAR YOU
Sponsor a Meal Site
Are you interested in sponsoring a meal site, offering free and nutritious food to Des Moines youth? Please contact Central Iowa Shelter & Services’ Director at director@centraliowashelter.org to talk about what options are available.
Volunteer to Help
Summer Meals is a great opportunity for families and for students (16 years or older) to volunteer to help with our lunch prep and serving at the parks. The time is small and the impact is big! Here’s how you can help:
Lunch Prep
Help us make sandwiches and pack their sack lunches. SIGN UP NOW
Serving at the Parks
Help us set-up, pass out lunches, take meal counts, engage with the children attending, and clean-up at our designated parks. Sign up here:
Summer Camp Sites: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4aaaa72ea0fdc25-summer1#/
Crivaro Park: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4aaaa72ea0fdc25-crivaro#/
Sunset Park: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4aaaa72ea0fdc25-sunset#/
Union Park: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4aaaa72ea0fdc25-union#/
Water Works Park: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4aaaa72ea0fdc25-water#/
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
