Homeless Nutrition Program Grows

Thanks to donations from local businesses and individuals, and grants from Polk County and Prairie Meadows, Joppa has purchased a walk-in cooler and freezer, sanitary flooring, lighting, shelving, cabinets, and received other items to more fully develop our Homeless Nutrition Health Program.

Joppa partners with grocery stores and others who donate fresh fruits and vegetables, organic meat, breads, and dairy products weekly. The new cooler and freezer will allow Joppa to store more fresh food and better coordinate distribution.

In awarding the community development grant, Chair of the Polk County Supervisors Angela Connolly said, “Polk County had the opportunity to enhance the quality of life to those least fortunate in our community: the unsheltered and homeless. Meeting their nutritional needs increases their chances of living a healthy life. Preventing health problems through good nutrition is a sensible, cost-effective method of decreasing disease and, potentially, overuse of emergency rooms and other medical services. We were pleased to award the grant to Joppa.”

Dr. Greta Degen, a nurse and Joppa program director, agrees there’s a strong correlation between good nutrition and good health.

“Many of the health problems of unsheltered people are aggravated by poor nutrition,” she says, “but it’s hard to eat healthy when you only have access to canned and dried food from food pantries, junk food from nearby convenience stores, and meal site meals. Many of our clients don’t live close to grocery stores, and even though they may receive food stamps, they don’t always make healthy choices.”

Degen says often a homeless person’s food stamps and limited supply of canned and dried food doesn’t last until the end of the month. While these supplies are a wonderful supplement, she says Joppa is often their only source of fresh nutritious food each week.

Joppa nutrition program volunteers include registered nurses, nutritionists, and other professionals from the Des Moines community, as well as recently housed homeless clients who also advise and volunteer. Currently, team members supply fresh food items to more than 400 homeless people and recently housed clients each month.