Nutrition Guide for Homeless Donations

 

 NUTRITION GUIDELINES: BURBANK HOMELESS POPULATION 

“Homeless individuals and families heavily rely on emergency food providers as routine providers to their meals. It is crucial that the food they do have access can provide them with the nutrients and energy they need to survive. It is possible for Emergency food providers to move beyond delivering food to also include the health and nutrition that homeless people and other clients need” – Sabrina Hamm (Hamm, 2012) 

May 9, 2023

Patti Maisner BS, MPH

The following document has been prepared for the residents of Burbank, emergency food providers, places of worship, and other non-profit organizations who distribute prepared and/or packaged food for the homeless population of Burbank.  

It is with hope that if one life can be saved with this one simple change, then my efforts will have been worth it. That change is the implementation of a “Guideline” for food donations. To make this change it is necessary to create awareness through education. 

There are several barriers, but the main two, are: lack of education and understanding when donating to the homeless population. Usually, when donating or purchasing a food item for the homeless, the first thought is food and not nutrition. There are usual thoughts of kindness, sympathy, and empathy that facilitate the donations of treats, like doughnuts and pastries, or comfort food; because you want that person to feel good. You honestly and believe that foods of comfort will do it.  

Another barrier is how to feed a large group or population on a budget and with limited food donations. Put these two facts together and what you have are foods that are white flour and starch based or processed and convenience-type foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, and fats. The additions of these food components can lead to obesity which is the basis for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, hypertension, and cancer. Lastly, there are currently homeless individuals that require gluten-free and Kosher food donations. 

Being homeless is not only difficult, but it does a number of things to you: it brings on health problems, escalates existing chronic diseases, and can turn a minor health problem into a major emergency room event (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 1988). 

Being homeless means: (give or take) walking around carrying, pulling or pushing up to several pounds of personal items every day, possibly but not limited to: a sedentary lifestyle, like sitting and reading at the library to escape extreme weather conditions, not getting enough sleep or ‘good’ sleep, not eating right or at regular scheduled times, and experiencing above normal amounts of stress that occurs when you are living ‘rough’. 

Because of the above, it is pertinent that the homeless population have a high protein diet, with complex carbohydrates, rich in vegetables, fruit, and calcium items like milk and cheese. And it all begins with the ‘Donor’. My project will include statistics, guidelines, and ways to be effective in someone’s life. All you have to do is think before you give. I thank all of you, on behalf of the homeless population in Burbank for all that is done every day for us. G-d bless! 

Terminology, Facts, Statistics Food insecurity:  

“- low food security, reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet, and very low food security, which involves disrupted eating patterns, and reduced food intake” (County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, 2015). 

Food Deserts:  

“Food deserts contribute to food insecurity and are a principal cause of hunger for 5.7% of households in the United States. Food deserts are areas where inhabitants cannot access affordable and nutritious food. They are not a myth but a well-documented phenomenon. Low income families prefer supermarkets because they consistently have a cheaper, healthier, and more diverse selection of food, and they are used as the bench mark for the figures to the left because of this. However, the poor are often forced to shop at smaller food stores such as 7-Eleven due to food deserts.”  

• In 2011, there were 6500 food-deserts in the United States 

• 2.3 million households live more than 1 mile from a grocery store 

• 3.4 million live between 0.5 – 1 mile from a grocery store and do not have a car 

• 11.5 million live in low-income areas and more than 1 mile from a grocery store (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011) 

Health Statistics LA County Homeless Individuals: 

• 31.5% of LA County adults, being homeless in the past 5 years, report fair or poor health status (County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, 2015). 

• 60% have dental problems 

• 50% eye problems 

• 50% high blood pressure/hypertension 

• 50% arthritis  

• 40% back problems and/or pain 

• 30% diabetes 

• 30% heart problems 

• 20% stroke 

• 20% depression (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011) Health Statistics - Canada: 

• 8 out of 10 homeless people in Canada have at least 1 chronic disease 

• More than 50% have mental illness (Science Daily, 2011) 

• It has been proven there is a positive relationship between lack of housing and poor health 

• The homeless population are at risk for sunburn and heatstroke 

• Disorders that affect the joints, ligaments and tendons (arthritis)  

• Skin and feet problems 

• Infectious diseases 

• Respiratory illnesses 

• Fatigue and weakness from hunger and malnutrition (Woolley, 2015) 

World Health Organization Key Findings: 

• Obesity: the imbalance between declining energy expenditure due to physical inactivity and high energy in the diet (excess calories whether from sugar, starches or fat). 

• Diabetes: excess weight gain, overweight and obesity and physical inactivity account for the escalating rates of type 2 diabetes, worldwide. Diabetes leads to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and infections. 

• Cardiovascular diseases: cardiovascular diseases, the major killers worldwide, are to a great extent due to unbalanced diets and physical inactivity. 

• Cancer: tobacco is the number one cause of cancer, but dietary factors contribute significantly to some types of cancer. 

• Osteoporosis and bone fractures: fragility fractures. 

• Dental disease: caries is preventable by limiting the frequency and amount of consumption of sugars and by appropriate exposure to fluoride (World Health Organization, 2016). 

Global fact: 

Hunger and malnutrition are the most deleterious issues in developing countries and can result in physical and mental disabilities, often death. These same conditions exist in the homeless populations and are responsible for obesity and heart disease, leading to other chronic illnesses (Green Facts, 2016). 

Foods that contribute to the above chronic diseases and are often donated to homeless individuals, food pantries, and those who prepare meals: 

• White flour foods (bread, pastas, Top Ramen) 

• White rice 

• Food items packed in salty waters or juices 

• Food items packed in heavy sugars / syrups

• Juices & sodas that are mostly sugars 

• Candies, pastries, doughnuts & puddings

• Foods high in fat and/or processed (pizza, hot dogs, low quality ham, cheese) (Hamm, 2012) 

Above is the “Eat More, Eat Less” box from the Homeless Nutrition Education Toolkit, developed by Sabrina Hamm (Hamm, 2012). It is the foundation for several pantries in the Sacramento area, in regard to wish lists and donation guidelines implemented by Ms. Hamm’s thesis work, containing the following barriers: 

• The cost of nutrient dense food prevents the homeless from choosing healthier foods 

• Food safety and storage, lack of refrigeration also prevent food purchasing options 

• Homeless have to discard food that cannot be eaten right away 

• Trying to keep some foods can lead to food poisoning [beans, mayo, fish, pork, turkey, chicken, eggs]

• Some foods are not an option if the homeless person has dental caries 

• Transportation issues or having to carry too many things prevents trips to grocery stores 

• Literacy or language are barriers to getting food not prepared with beans, eggs or items prepared with mayonnaise 

There is sometimes a feeling or thought, that homeless people should be grateful for the food donations that they are given. But if it puts them at risk for chronic illness or contains empty calories that provide no nutrition, as in white bread, then what are we really doing to the population?

Eating healthy, choosing healthy foods, donating healthy items prevents diseases and health complications in the homeless population. At the end of the day there is money to be saved in dental and medical bills, as well as in pharmacy costs and trips to the emergency room. 

Healthy food donations and purchase options: 

*     Choose items that are low in sodium 

*     Choose items that are packed in light syrup

*     Choose whole wheat or whole grain instead of white flour items 

*     Choose brown rice instead of white rice 

*     Choose whole wheat tortillas instead of corn or white flour

*     Choose shelf stable milk for the calcium content 

*     If you are preparing foods from cans for the homeless, rinse contents off in water 

Super Foods: 

 Sweet potatoes 

 Crispbreads 

 Mangoes 

 Unsweetened Greek Yogurt 

 Broccoli 

 Garbanzo beans 

 Watermelon 

 Butternut squash 

 Wild Salmon 

 Leafy greens (Jacobson, n.d.) 

For meal preparation organizations: 

• Mix broth and canned vegetables together for soup, toss in a can of beans 

• Mix different canned beans with lemon juice and serve with whole grain chips 

• Avocadoes, tomatoes, and onions can add flavor without fat 

• Adding canned vegetables make regular canned soups more robust 

• Add canned fruits to plain yogurt (Hamm, 2012) 

Suggestions for donations in addition to the above: 

Alameda and Rivercity food banks, in Sacramento, do not accept soda or sugar-based items, or expired canned food. Quite often people donate what has been left in their pantry for months and may be spoiled. On the next page is the wish list from Alameda County Food Bank (Hamm, 2012): 

Celiac Disease and gluten free foods: 

Celiac disease is the occurrence of the small intestine being hypersensitive to gluten, leading to difficulty in digesting food. The solution is to eat gluten-free food. 

Gluten-free foods: 

• Fruit 

• Vegetables 

• Meat and poultry 

• Fish and seafood 

• Dairy 

• Beans, legumes, and nuts 

• Brown Rice 

There are several foods that are gluten heavy, anything with wheat will have gluten in it (Celiac Disease Foundation, 2016) 

Kosher consideration: 

Kosher is a process, and it is lengthy, so I am just giving the basics here. If one is observant of the Jewish Orthodox criteria or eating Kosher because it is a healthy choice, then the following must be considered: 

• No pork 

• No mixing of meat and dairy items 

• Kosher food items must have the logo on the label, like the below 

• Fowl, poultry, meats, milk, cheeses, eggs, fish, fruits, cereals, beverages, wine • There are some items that can be eaten and require no Kosher logo Summary: 

Change can be as elementary and simple, as in the choices we make.  When preparing meals and donating foods, it begins with donations and the ‘donor’ who is making them.  The next time you want to contribute, take a moment to consider the recipient of that donation … white rice or brown rice?  White flour bread or whole grain bread?  The choice is yours, and it just takes a moment to choose a more appropriate, healthy food. In doing so, you join the efforts of many who educate and implement nutrition based public health programs to decrease chronic diseases.  

Thank you for reading.  You may copy this work, but please leave the in-text citations and references, giving credit to those who deserve it. 

Websites for more information: 

Celiac disease and foods: https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/foodoptions/#Ged4mfy6liu399Bu.99 

Kosher diet: http://www.koshercertification.org.uk/whatdoe.html 

Health statistics: http://homeless.samhsa.gov/ResourceFiles/hrc_factsheet.pdf 

How to eat: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ 

Super foods: http://www.nutritionaction.com 

Homeless Nutrition Education Toolkit: A Resource for Nutrition Educators and Emergency Food Providers: http://www.sachousingalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Homeless-NutritionEducation-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf 

References 

Celiac Disease Foundation. (2016). What Can I Eat? - Celiac Disease Foundation. Retrieved from https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/foodoptions/#Ged4mfy6liu399Bu.99 

County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health. (2015, February). Social  Determinants of Health. Retrieved from  http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/reports/LAHealthBrief2011/Housing  Health/SD_Housing_Fs.pdf 

Green Facts. (2016, March 18). Diet and Nutrition Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Retrieved from www.greenfacts.org/en/diet-nutrition/ 

Hamm, S. (2012). Homeless Nutrition Education Toolkit. Retrieved from  http://www.sachousingalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Homeless- Nutrition-Education-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf 

Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (1988). Homelessness, health, and human needs. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. 

Jacobson, M. F. (n.d.). Nutrition Action » Healthy Tips. Retrieved from  http://www.nutritionaction.com/ 

National Coalition for the Homeless. (2011, November). Hunger and Food Insecurity. Retrieved from www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/hunger.html 

Science Daily. (2011, August 24). 85 percent of homeless people have chronic health    conditions -- ScienceDaily. Retrieved from  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824122906.htm 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2011, July). Current Statistics on the Prevalence and Characteristics of People Experiencing Homelessness in the United States. Retrieved from  http://homeless.samhsa.gov/ResourceFiles/hrc_factsheet.pdf 

Woolley, E. (2015, February 6). What are the top 10 health issues homeless people face? | The Homeless Hub. Retrieved from http://homelesshub.ca/blog/what-are-  top-10-health-issues-homeless-people-face 

World Health Organization. (2016). WHO | Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. 

Report of the joint WHO/FAO expert consultation (TRS 916). Retrieved from  http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/summary/en/ 

**What not to feed a homeless person in the morning: