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In this issue:
Welcome from the Executive Director
Welcome to the first edition of
Feeding the People’s newsletter.
Each issue will bring you news
about our work and other topics of
interest related to diabetes. As a social worker with over eight years of experience providing mental health services for the chronically mentally ill, I have personally witnessed the devastating effects of diabetes on low-income people.
Many of my clients have Type II diabetes. Not everyone can afford to eat right. Most people receiving state assistance purchase all of their food at the beginning of the month. They stock up on the cheapest food they can afford such as white
bread, macaroni and cheese, and ramen noodles. These low quality, processed foods have devastating effects on the health of diabetics.
We recently completed a sixweek pilot delivering nutritious meals to people with diabetes. The feedback was very positive. One child’s parents say he is excited
about eating his meals for the
first time and finishes everything on his plate.
Feeding the People will save lives. I want to thank everyone who has supported us so far. We are just
beginning a very exciting journey.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Schugam, MSW
Executive Director
Eustache and James LLP and MVLS Support Feeding the People
Eustache and James LLP, The Capital
Health Law Group, is providing
pro-bono legal services for Feeding the People. The firm specializes in
helping health care providers such
as physicians, pharmacists, dentists, psychologists, and healthcare
sales professionals with all their
legal and business concerns.
Feeding the People was connected with Eustache and James by Richard Reitzel Chambers, Director of Community Development and Taxpayer Programs for
the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers
Service. MVLS is a nonprofit
organization that provides free (and in some cases low cost) legal representation to Marylanders with limited income. MVLS also
provides free legal help for community-
based nonprofi ts that are
working to strengthen low-income communities in Maryland.
We would like to thank Attorneys Harold J. Eustache, Sr. and Sharon James (Williams); Richard Reitzel Chambers; and MVLS Executive Director Bonnie A. Sullivan for their support.
For more information about Eustache and James LLP visit www.eustachejames.com
For more information about Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service
visit www.mvlslaw.org
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you to everyone who has
supported Feeding the People’s annual fund:
- Sue Birch
- Bob Bartlett
- Sheri DePetro
- Eagle Voice Center
- Carolyn Johnson
- Abdul Kargbo
- Ellen Love
- Christine Mitchell
- Henry and Paula Niese
- Lyn K. Ostrov
- Ilysa Peak
- John and Shirley Riffle
- Jennifer and Larry Schugam
- Leonard and Jennifer Schugam
- Martin and Paula Schugam
Feeding the People Test Run a Success
In January Feeding the People completed an initial test run of our
operations. We conducted the test run to assess our operational plan, meal
quality, and gather some preliminary
impact data.
Four participants received seven free meals a week for six weeks. The response was overwhelmingly
positive. The test run was made possible by generous donations from Feeding the People volunteers and supporters. Meals were prepared and delivered by Jennifer Schugam and Ilysa Peak.
“We took the whole family on a few of our delivery runs,” says Feeding the People Director of
Development Larry Schugam.
“I explained to our children how some people have a disease called
diabetes and that they cannot afford to buy the food that will keep them
healthy.”
“I know that one day they will look back and remember that they were a part of the foundation of this organization.”
The mother of one participant said: “My son’s experience with
Feeding the People has been great.
He is so excited about his meals
and has really enjoyed them. Being mom and seeing how
well his levels have remained and
how easy it is for me to prepare his
dinner is wonderful.”
Participants also reported that the meals helped stabilize their blood sugar levels. Soon after the test run ended we received a call from a local clinic
that had heard about Feeding the
People via word-of-mouth and
wanted to send us referrals.
The next step will be a six-month pilot serving 50 low-income diabetics.
The Johns Hopkins Center for a
Livable Future is providing us with
research technical assistance for the
pilot.
We would like to thank everyone who supported and participated in our test run.
Research: Diabetic Meal Delivery Improves Glycemic Control
A 2007 study from Japan “provides
evidence that intervention with delivery
of diabetic meals to patients
with type 2 diabetes can be equally
effective for achieving glycemic
control as individual dietary counseling
by a dietitian.”
“Diabetic meal delivery can therefore be used successfully to
provide diabetes education to outpatients ... It is hoped that delivery
of diabetic meals makes it easier
to maintain an appropriate diet
at home and also to motivate and
empower underserved patients to
start self-management and thereby
avoid the serious complications of diabetes.”
To read more about the study visit:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pmc/articles/PMC2212351/
Community Outreach in W. Baltimore
Lowers Medicaid Costs
A 2003 report on the impact of community health workers on
health care utilization of African-
American Medicaid patients with
diabetes in West Baltimore found
that weekly education and support
from health workers was effective
in improving quality of life and
lowering Medicaid costs.
Total emergency room visits declined by 40% and the average
savings was $2,245 per patient per year. To read more about the study
visit:
http://www.ishib.org/journal/ethn-13-01-22.pdf |
