Houston Kids Will Eat 3 Free Meals Daily for Rest of Year

Some 218,000 Houston schoolkids won't have to worry about where breakfast, lunch, or dinner is coming from for the remainder of the school year. The Houston Independent School District on Wednesday announced that it got the green light from the USDA and the Texas Department of Agriculture to essentially allow all students to participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. "This decision means all HISD students will eat all school meals for free during the 2017-2018 school year," it explains. The federal waiver on the customary application process is in effect immediately, meaning students can get three free meals per day when school resumes. In other heartwarming Houston-related news:

• The Chronicle reports bedding is one of the most-needed shelter items, and MyPillow is stepping up, having sent 60,000 pillows to the city's shelters.
• Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt wasted no time in setting up the Houston Flood Relief Fund for Hurricane Harvey victims, with an initial $200,000 goal. It has now brought in more than $11 million, thanks to a recent $1 million donation from Walmart and $500,000 from Miley Cyrus, as revealed during a taping of Ellen on Wednesday, reports TMZ. Drake announced a $200,000 donation to the fund today, reports the Fader.
• Pitchfork reports Beyonce's BeyGOOD Foundation has teamed up with Bread of Life and the Greater Houston Community Foundation to help raise funds for short- and long-term needs.
• CNNMoney reported that as of Wednesday afternoon, $72 million had been pledged by companies, with 42 of them giving at least $1 million. You can view the list here.
• The New York Times lists ways to donate, and how to steer clear of scams.

(More Hurricane Harvey stories.)