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 from June 3rd – August 9th and run every week during the summer Monday-Friday at various times and locations.
Our 2024 locations:
Ashfield Park: 720 E 19th St, Des Moines
Open to the public June 3 – August 9, Monday – Friday from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Crivaro Park: 1105 E Railroad Ave, Des Moines
Open to the public June 3 – August 9, Monday – Friday from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Union Park: 725 Thompson Ave, Des Moines
Open to the public June 3 – August 9, Monday – Friday from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Water Works Park: 2201 George Flagg Pkwy, Des Moines
Open to the public June 3 – August 9, Monday – Friday from 12:00 PM – 2:00 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.
How 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! To help, please email our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@centraliowashelter.org.
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’ Volunteer and Donations Coordinator at volunteer@centraliowashelter.org to talk about what options are available.
Lunch Prep
Help us make sandwiches and pack their sack lunches.
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.
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/ad-3027.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.
