GMHC’s Meals Program has already served over 3,000 hot, nutritious lunches to clients since expanding lunch service to four days per week in mid-November and switching from a caterer to an in-house kitchen staff.
Clients are thrilled by the development. “They really appreciate the in-house meals, and they also enjoy the camaraderie,” said Donna Pine, Director of Client Wellness and Meals Services. About 135 clients have attended each lunch service on Mondays through Thursdays – a significant increase from about 100 clients per meal with the catering service.
Pine is thrilled too. “With in-house cooking, we can offer well-prepared, nutritionally balanced meals that are suited to our clients’ tastes. Our Meals Program staff know our clients and their needs, so we can be more responsive to their feedback,” she explained. “We can speak to our clients one-on-one and see if they like the food or what can be improved – and then we can make the changes immediately.”
On one day in January, clients could choose from roasted chicken breast or lemon-garlic tortellini, both accompanied by purple sweet potato soup and broccoli. Another day, panko-crusted tilapia or eggplant, served with yellow rice and mixed vegetables, was on the menu. The lunch menu includes both meat and vegetarian options, Pine said, adding that there is always plenty of fresh fruit on hand, along with freshly brewed coffee and tea.
“I love seeing the clients, knowing they’re going to be fed and happy. As a mother, I want them to be nurtured,” she said. “Now, four days a week, our clients are getting a nutritious, well-balanced, and filling meal – everything they need to sustain a healthy diet.”
That is especially important for the agency’s food-insecure clients. “Many have a low income or no income, so this could be the only hot meal they get in a day,” Pine said.
“Before COVID-19, we always cooked in-house, so our goal was to get back to that,” she said, adding that the pandemic was a “huge rupture.” Mandatory shutdowns in March 2020 suspended the in-house lunches entirely.
The agency was able to resume lunch service in 2023, first for two days per week, and then three. For that number of days, using a caterer was more cost-effective than hiring a full kitchen staff. After returning to lunches cooked in-house, four days per week, on November 18, the program aims to add service on Fridays, once funding is in place.
Food Pantry
To supplement the hot lunches, GMHC’s Keith Haring Food Pantry serves over 470 clients who are food insecure. This program is for clients who are living with HIV and with annual incomes under $50,000, said Alisha Hassan, the Pantry Coordinator.
Once a month, these clients can pick up enough fresh vegetables, meats, milk, and dry goods, including rice, beans, and grains, to last until their next pantry visit. “We always try to have eggs, since that’s really important for clients,” Hassan said. “We encourage clients to bring carts.”
Headwater Farms donates the vegetables, which change weekly. In January, clients could choose from avocados, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, lettuce, onions, lemons, and limes.
To accommodate clients’ schedules, the pantry is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
