HOUSTON – Nutrition Services has announced that all students at Houston Independent School District will eat meals at no charge during the 2018-2019 school year.

HISD will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner at no charge to all students, eliminating the need for free and reduced-price meal applications because all HISD schools are qualified to operate under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service Community Eligibility Provision, according to a press release.

Schools like HISD are eligible for the program if they have a certain percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals based on their participation in certain programs.

“We know that students have a difficult time learning when they are hungry. This program will allow us to provide up to three full meals a day to our students,” HISD interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “This allows us to meet a critical need that will help our students be ready and able to learn throughout the school day.”