MANNA Dietitans Share Their Expertise With Siloam and Its Clients

MANNA's commitment to providing necessary nourishment to nutritionally compromised clients goes beyond the meal delivery service. We are involved in outreach throughout the community of Philadelphia providing essential, nutrition education classes. Currently, we are collaborating with Siloam as part of its monthly Nutrition Matters Program, which addresses the specific nutritional needs of the clients at Siloam and gives them vital educational resources. The mission statement of Siloam says that the organization "enriches the well-being of people impacted by HIV/AIDS by providing a broad range of integrative mind/body/spirit services that empowers them to develop skills and personal strengths leading to more meaningful lives."

During the month of March, the topic of healthy eating on a budget was discussed. Many of the clients at Siloam are on fixed incomes, relying on food stamps for their food shopping. We realized that they were unable to adhere to their specific diets simply because they couldn't afford the food. In order to address this topic, as well as the clients' needs, we arranged for a tour at the local Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is known for its wide selection of healthy foods at low prices and helpful staff. The department managers took the clients of Siloam on a guided tour through each aisle of the Center City store, allowing the clients the opportunity to browse the shelves and ask questions. If there were any products that the clients were not familiar with, they were allowed to sample the food. At the end of the tour, a small lunch was provided and everyone got a canvas bag to fill up with his or her favorite product or food to take home for free. As the tour concluded, all of the clients of Siloam left Trader Joe's with a new outlook on food shopping and the knowledge that healthy food at a low price is accessible, and Trader Joe's gained 20 new customers.