Patients battling AIDS and HIV and their families have a new source of nutritional food

Issue Area(s): Health and Nutrition, AIDS

Metric of Success: Serves 200 patients and their families (600-700 people) 

Overview

In 2012, the Junior League of Montgomery partnered with Medical Aids Outreach (MAO) to start, staff, and stock a food pantry for people struggling with HIV and AIDS.

Community partners

• Medical Aids Outreach
• The Montgomery Area Food Bank

How it works

The food pantry, for which JLM granted a start-up sum of $26,500, is conveniently housed at the Medical Aids Outreach Center and designed to feed AIDS and HIV patients and their families who are living in poverty. MAO shops for the foods recommended by patients' nutritionists, acquiring ninety percent of it from the Montgomery Area Food Bank. Then, at the MAO pantry, patients stock up on food once a month, except during holidays, when they can visit more frequently.

What’s the impact?

The food pantry is able to serve 600-700 people, including patients and their families. That number is expected to double by the end of 2013.