Houselink’s Food Program puts good nutrition within the reach of all its participants.
- Community kitchen
s offer nutritious $1 meals seven days a week. Participants accessing the food program join others in community gatherings that help to secure a nutritious meal.
- Supported employees plan, shop for and cook all meals. The training they receive helps them in their recovery by producing a healthy meal and making them feel accomplished by doing something that has real results for their community. As teachers and leaders in the community, participants can feel proud of their work. participant volunteers also help with food preparation, set-up and clean-up.
- Good Food Boxes, offered in partnership with Field to Table, lets Houselink participants enjoy top-quality fruits and vegetables at affordable prices – in a way that promotes community.
- Group grocery shopping expeditions create opportunities for bulk purchasing, nutrition education and fun. Vans leave from east and west locations on the first of each month.
Education, training and counseling to promote healthy eating, including workshops on cooking, food safety and handling, and a number of other activities enrich participants about food and healthy eating.
Why it matters… Chronic poverty, isolation and medication use saps the health of many people with mental illness. Many do not have the money to buy healthy groceries, the skills to plan and cook nutritious meals, or the motivation to prepare decent meals for just themselves. The food program is vital to our participants’ recovery.