Food and Nutrition Program
Client participation in FNS services has been a major success, in part, based on an interactive approach to proving services. A striking success of the FNS program has been its ability to attract clients in group level interventions. Historically, clients have been reluctant to participate in weekly workshops that center on issues that impact their lives. FNS group level interventions are designed to be interactive. Harlem United believes that clients, as stakeholders, should participate in designing nutrition groups that they directly benefit from.
Clients participate in workshops such as “Nutrition Family Feud”, where each group leader discusses the question read and decided on the correct answer. This activity is geared to reinforce participants’ knowledge of nutrition and HIV, portion control and caloric intake. This approach to groups has doubled the number of clients who participate in nutrition groups. Our program has the Nutritionist, who conducts one on one nutritional sessions weekly, counsels clients on a broad range of diet and nutritional needs, including the interaction between HIV medications and diet. She also provides information to clients to help in their understanding what kinds of foods to eat while on HARRT, and possible side effects of medications. She also routinely discusses andmonitors client viral load and CD 4 count during her sessions.
As part of Harlem United’s integrated continuum of services, the evening program offers assistance for clients presenting with mental health challenges. Harlem United’s Mobile Mental Health program has augmented FNS program services by conducting weekly mental health groups that clients participate in. These clients also receive individual level mental health counseling as well. Thursday evenings have been set aside as “Speaker’s Night” and is open to community organizations such as AIDS Community Research in America (ACRIA), a provider of Health Education/Risk Reduction services. ACRIA has been conducting workshops on topics of particular concern to clients. These workshops include Hepatitis C, a liver disease that afflicts many clients with HIV/AIDS. The FNS program, which is a low threshold program, also offers referrals to other Harlem United programs, such as primary care department, Adult Day Health Care and dental services as well as Harlem United’s HIV prevention programs that assist clients who have problems initiating and maintaining safer sex behaviors.
The FNS program provides services for 254 clients and serves over 9000 meals in a year. A survey of clients in our program indicated that 75% of participants receive food stamps, with a number of these clients receiving as little as $10.00 a month in food stamp assistance.
