Food pantries across our region provide valuable help to people in need of groceries to feed themselves and their families.
Since the late 1980s, the Lansing Area AIDS Network’s Food Pantry Program has been serving clients in a personal and vital way.
At a typical food pantry, clients are given pre-selected grocery items. But at LAAN’s pantry, clients can adjust their grocery list based on their nutritional needs.
Side effects from medications means careful attention to diets. Going in to a regular food pantry, clients often can’t ask for grocery adjustments to help with that attention — whether because of pantry rules or clients’ concern for their own privacy.
“People are encouraged to tell us what they can and can’t tolerate,” said Nancy English, auxiliary services coordinator for LAAN. “We accommodate everyone as best as we can.”
Beyond the food, the pantry experience provides something more important to the clients: privacy and humanity.
“The emotional and social support our clients get on pantry day is so important,” English said.
“This is an outing for them. They see people they know, they have coffee together, they laugh, they cry, they feel safe.”
Many national funders want to see examples of community support when LAAN applies for grants, and their connection to the Capital Region Community Foundation exemplifies that.
“The foundation’s support is so critical,” said Jake Distel, LAAN’s executive director. “Many AIDS organizations have had to do away with their pantries. It’s important to understand there is not a disconnect between HIV and nutrition. If needs aren’t met, there are physical complications. We provide a very unique service in our community.”
“If they couldn’t come here, they wouldn’t go elsewhere because they’d be afraid they would have to disclose too much information,” said Audrey Matisoff, LAAN’s clinical director.
“It speaks to a bigger issue: The stigma that continues to be associated with HIV and AIDS,” Distel said.
Matisoff shared the story of one client who lives alone and is estranged from his family. At Thanksgiving, LAAN is able to provide turkeys to clients.
“He said, ‘Once a year, I’m in good graces with my family because I can bring the turkey to Thanksgiving dinner.’ ”
Another client told the staff he made the turkey and his floor mates in his apartment building shared a communal holiday meal.
“The impact is powerful,” Matisoff said.
LAAN Food Pantry Program
• Where: 913 W. Holmes Road, suite 115, Lansing
• Online: http://laanonline.org
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Initiated in the late 1980s, the LAAN Food Pantry Program has served as a model for similar programs not only in terms of pantry operation but volunteer recruitment and management as well.
During 2010, it is conservately estimated that LAAN will provide 70,000 meals to more than 190 elibible people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
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