Good Neighbor House’s Special Dietary Needs Program (SDNP) seeks to address chronic illness in our communities. Specifically: diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, and obesity. There are a number of steps to this program, and the ultimate goal is to bridge some of the gap to healthy lifestyles.
Thanks to some hard work by staff, volunteers, and donors, we have been able to secure fresh produce and other healthy items for SDNP.
Our clients and patients face grave challenges in their daily lives, and one of those is the lack of grocery stores with produce that’s affordable. Now, in addition to the support our SDNP clients receive through our Medical Clinic, the Food Pantry is able to support and stretch their dollars farther by providing them with items such as: eggs, reduced fat cheese, milk, whole grain bread, fresh and canned vegetables, fresh and canned fruits, nuts, and peanut butter.
Lisa, GNH Medical Assistant, shared this story with us:
One of our SDNP patients came in for her monthly appointment and I gave her the supplemental food that they’d just starting receiving from the food pantry. In that assortment of food were two bags of apples and she was elated in receiving them. She then shared with me how she’d just been to the grocery and had picked up some apples, but had to have the cashier take them back when finding out they rang up as $15. This scenario demonstrates how costly it is to eat healthy and how this supplemental food helps in our mission in keeping our patients in our SDNP program eating nutritiously.
Every single one of our patients has expressed immense gratitude in receiving this additional healthy food. One patient even shared with me how she used the fresh produce when cooking her meals when she returned two days later for her medical appointment. Others will give back the items they won’t use, stating that they don’t want them to go to waste. Working with these patients for over a year, I’ve gotten to know each and every one of them and their health issues. It makes me proud to be a part of a program that keeps striving to meet the needs of our patients in their journey for better health.
For clients interested in this program that are eligible, please contact the Medical Clinic by calling our main line 937-224-3003.
For donors and others who would like to support this program, gifts can be made on our secure online giving portal, or contact Chief Operating Officer Michelle Collier for other opportunities.
