The Des Moines school district is expanding it's free breakfast program to all elementary schools.
The district is getting federal dollars to do so, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as grants from the Midwest Dairy Council and Action for Healthy Kids.
“When we offer breakfast at no cost to every student, the stigma that only poor children eat breakfast at school is wiped away,” said Amanda Miller, DMPS Director of Food and Nutrition. “We have found that when breakfast is offered at no cost to all students, participation increases to nearly 80%.”
“Studies have shown that students who regularly eat a nutritionally balanced, no-cost breakfast at school show greater improvements in math scores, attendance, punctuality, depression, anxiety and hyperactivity,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ahart. “Almost every facet of their day improves, along with the student’s overall health.”
The expansion means nearly all DMPS schools offer at least one no-cost meal option during the day. The district reports 74 percent of DMPS students qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on their family income, that’s more than 23,500 school age children living in or near poverty in the city of Des Moines.