Frequently Asked Questions About Food Outreach’s Program
- What are the program eligibility guidelines?
- To be eligible for services, an individual must have a diagnosis of either HIV and/or cancer AND be in active treatment AND have an income that is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. These guidelines are updated annually and can be viewed here.
- Please know, we require a referral from a healthcare professional (Physician, Nurse, Registered Dietitian, Social Worker, community health worker, etc.) to confirm the diagnosis of cancer or HIV.
- What are qualifying treatments?
- For HIV, clients must be taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication.
- For cancer, clients must be in active treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation, or have a scheduled upcoming surgery. Maintenance therapy, such as ongoing CT scans, nutrient repletion therapy, or biannual follow-up appointments do not qualify.
- Where can your services be accessed?
- Food Outreach offers meals, groceries, and nutrition counseling onsite at 3117 Olive Street, St. Louis.
- Food Outreach offers meal and grocery home delivery within a 35 mile radius of our location at 3117 Olive Street, St. Louis.
- We are a regional provider, serving clients risiding in over 140 Missouri and Illinois zip codes. We determine our guidelines by income level and qualifying treatments, not zip code or address.
- Some clients living outside our delivery service radius choose to travel to meet our drivers within the radius. Others travel into St. Louis to receive treatment, and receive our grocery and nutrition counceling services when they are in town.
- I’m a healthcare professional. How do I place a referral for someone in need?
- Please submit an electronic referral using this form. A team member will reach out to the client within 5 business days to discuss enrollment.
- I’m a potential client. How do I get started?
- Please reference our guidelines, and then ask a member of your care team to submit this referral to us.
- Once we receive a referral and confirmation of your diagnosis, a Food Outreach team member will reach out to you within 5 business days to discuss enrollment.
- You are required to meet with a Registered Dietitian, either in-person or by phone, in order to enroll into the program. Once enrolled, you will have the option to meet again for additional individualized Nutrition Counseling.
- I’m a client. What do I need to bring with me when visiting Food Outreach?
- Please bring a photo ID with you for food pickup.
- You may bring in your own grocery bags or boxes to help us minimize plastic waste. As a thank-you, you may enter our monthly raffle where you have a chance to win a $25 grocery store gift card.
- What services do you provide?
- We offer groceries and Medically Tailored Meals. Grocery items include fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meat, and pantry staples such as canned fruits and vegetables, oats, beans, rice, and pasta. Our Medically Tailored Meals are cooked from scratch onsite, and then frozen as microwaveable meals for our clients.
- In addition, we have Registered Dietitians on staff who provide Nutrition Education and Counseling. Clients are encouraged to meet with a Dietitian when experiencing any food-related concern, such as poor appetite, treatment-side effects, or challenges with meeting nutritional needs.
- All services are free of charge.
- Does Food Outreach provide food for the entire family of the client with cancer or HIV?
- No. Food Outreach only provides food to the diagnosed individual. On average, Food Outreach provides up to 2 meals/day to the client.
- How long will a client with HIV and cancer receive services from Food Outreach?
- Clients with HIV who continue to meet the income requirements are eligible for services for their lifetime.
- Clients with cancer are eligible for 12 months of service. After the first 12-month period, clients are contacted by a Registered Dietitian for recertification, where treatment will be reassessed. Once a client has completed their active cancer treatment, they will graduate from the Food Outreach program.
- How do clients order their food onsite?
- Most of our clients pick up their food orders at our Midtown facility, at 3117 Olive Street. We have a parking lot onsite, and there is additional street parking on Olive.
- Clients may approve of friends, family, caregivers, or case managers to pick up food orders on their behalf.
- Upon arrival, check in at our front desk with a photo ID, and receive a menu of our current offerings.
- After your selections are made, turn in your menu, and our volunteers will gather the items for you. You will be called to the counter to bag up your items in the way you prefer.
- We encourage you to bring your own grocery bags or boxes. As a thank-you for this, you may enter our monthly raffle for a chance to win a $25 grocery store gift card. However, we do provide plastic bags and cardboard boxes for your convenience. We have carts and volunteers who can assist you with transporting your food items to your vehicle.
- Can I fill out a menu online ahead of time?
- Not at this time. Our menu updates daily, and the organization does not have the capacity to support this.
- How often can I receive food delivery?
- Clients may order groceries and/or frozen, Medically Tailored Meals on a monthly or biweekly basis. The frequency is determined during the client’s intake appointment with a Registered Dietitian. Clients are provided with an average of 2 meals per day.
- Can clients have food orders delivered to their home?
- Yes. To be eligible for home delivered meals and groceries, individuals must live within 35 miles of our midtown location and meet eligibility requirements which include: inability to drive/commute due to illness or treatment, lack of transportation, and/or not having someone who could pick up food on their behalf.
- Please know that currently, our organization is unable to provide client menu choice for home delivery. A preselected menu will be provided once a month for qualifying individuals. For more information on home delivery, please contact our Client Services Manager Luke Gallagher at 314-710-5542.
- What makes Food Outreach different from other food agencies in the St. Louis area?
- Food Outreach is the only provider of medically tailered nutrion for food-insecure individuals daignosed with HIV and cancer in the area.
- Our rigorous focus on nutritious ingredients helps clients maintain their strength and optimize their medical treatments. We take a ‘Food Is Medicine’ approach to essential services. Our Registered Dietitians and Chefs are critical to our mission, as they plan and prepare all our Medically Tailored Meals. Food Outreach clients can also access our Registered Dietitians for individual nutrition counseling.
- Clients who come in for food pick-up can select prepared frozen meals and groceries from a changing menu, allowing them the dignity of choice as well as accommodating food preferences, which is particularly important to cancer patients whose tastes frequently change because of treatment.
- I am not a client with Food Outreach; can I still work with one of the Registered Dietitians, or pay to receive the meals?
- No, you must be a client of Food Outreach to receive dietetic and nutrition services. We do not sell our Medically Tailored Meals or groceries.
- Does Food Outreach provide nutritional supplements or vitamins?
- No, Food Outreach does not provide supplements or multivitamins.
- How do I volunteer? Or donate?
- Thank you for your interest in supporting our mission!
- For more information on volunteering, please see our Volunteer page. For more information, please call Joel Carter at 314-710-1114.
- For food or supply donations (“in-kind” donations), please see this guide.
- For monetary donations, please use this link or see our unique ways to give.
- I still have more questions. Who should I contact?
- For referrals, or to schedule an intake with a Registered Dietitian, please contact Rusoun Belue at 314-710-5543.
- To speak with a Registered Dietitian, please call Taylor Aarns at 314-710-5530 or Eric Washausen at 314-710-5545.
- For home delivery inquiries, please contact Luke Gallagher at 314-710-5542.
- For program or research partner questions, please contact Sydney Gosik at 314-710-5532.
- To discuss sponsorship or philanthropic partnership, please contact Julie Lock at 314-710-1115.