Food Outreach Inc

Programs: Food outreach's mission is to provide nutritional support and enhance the quality of life of men, women and children living with hiv/aids or cancer. These individuals are living at or below 300% of the federal poverty level and receive our services at no charge. Food outreach operates through a variety of outreach and services including the following methods:nutrition counseling:each client receives an initial intake with our registered dietitian to assess their nutritional status and to begin dietary education. Nutrition plans take into account state of illness, living situations, eating capacity, mobility, and (see schedule o)secondary complications including diabetes, liver and heart diseases. We encourage clients to meet with our dietitian at least every six months; clients taking liquid nutritional supplements must meet with the dietitian monthly. Using the individualized nutrition plan created by our registered dietician, clients select their food orders. Meals & grocery:the integrated frozen prepared meals and groceries program is one of our core services. Clients are provided 2 meals per day, 2 weeks at a time, year-round, at no charge. Our focus is on balanced and individualized nutrition and nutrition plans. Food outreach served 518,800 meals to 1,888 clients in 2017. Pharmacy counseling: our partnership with schnucks specialty pharmacy means that a pharmacist is on-site at food outreach 25 hours a week to answer medication questions. Meal delivery: because some clients are too weak or ill to pick up their orders from food outreach our part-time van driver delivers up to 60 meals (2 per day) every month to each homebound client. Nutrition education: food outreach provides education breakfasts and cooking classes to help clients establish good nutrition habits for life. Breakfast at food outreach is open for clients, family members, and guests to provide a unique forum for group education and discussion. Our dietician develops a comprehensive curriculum and invites experts to speak on various nutrition topics relevant to people living with specific diseases. Quarterly cooking classes are held for clients to learn how to cook and properly prepare food to ensure a nutritious and appetizing meal. Classes focus on food safety and the danger of food borne illness, knife skills, healthy cooking, meal planning and reading lables. Hot lunch mondays: each monday food outreach invites our clients and their guest to join us for a three-course, restaurant-style meal served hot and fresh in our dining room. This weekly committment allows clients the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal and have an recurring opportunity to socialize and foster friendships with people who can share their experiences. Food outreach serves clients living at or below 300% of the federal poverty level at no charge. Clients living above the 300% fpl can still receive nutritional counseling, attend hot lunch mondays, and partiicpate in education breakfasts and cooking classes.