CLIVE, Iowa —

Amy A'Hern, the nutrition director for the Waukee Community School District, made it clear: no child in need of a school lunch will be turned away.

In an interview with KCCI, she explained that the demand is there: over 20% of the district's students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. That's approximately 3,000 kids.

But while the meals will remain a certainty, she said the uncertainty comes from whether the cost of said meals will be paid.

"When I pulled it, we were just over $66,000 negative," A'Hern said of this year's numbers. "That's about double from last year."

The district's free or reduced-cost meals are funded by the National School Lunch Program , but those federal dollars can only be used to provide meals. Per Iowa Code , they can't be used to cover

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