Family Pantry Program

The Changing Face of HIV/AIDS

The Daily Meals Program is still an essential element of the service we provide, and brings good nutrition, hope and comfort to over 160 of our clients every single week, 52 weeks per year. However, since A Loving Spoonful was founded we have seen a shift in the needs of clients. More and more FAMILIES are being referred to us for nutritional support. One or both parents are living with HIV, and in many cases at least one child as well. Feeding this need with our current meals program has been a challenge; quite often, our families are immigrants to Canada who are not accustomed to our Western style of frozen dinners. And even if they WERE, it simply isn’t possible to prepare frozen meals for up to NINE people so the family can sit down and eat together. Combine this with the amount of frozen food required for a family of nine, and the effort that would be for a volunteer driver to carry, and it becomes clear that we needed to change the way we serve these particular clients.

Introducing the Family Pantry

Our Director of Client Services, Registered Dietician, Director of Operations, and Director of Volunteer Services have worked closely to develop a NEW meals program that suits the needs of our clients with families. The concept is simple; we will provide FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES plus BREAD, JUICE AND DAIRY PRODUCTS to each family every week. The aim is to provide each family member with 50% of their recommended intake of fruit and vegetables per day. The types of vegetables and fruit are also tailored wherever possible to the palate of African and SE Asian diets.

For more information on how you can help support The Family Pantry Program please call: 604-682-6325.