Founded by a group of caring people cooking meals in a church kitchen for seven of their friends living with HIV/AIDS.
Opened a satellite grocery offering a variety of staple items to a client list that has grown well into the hundreds.
Hired its first full-time dietitian.
Consolidated its frozen prepared meal and grocery program to one 10,000 square foot facility in midtown St. Louis – complete with an industrial quality kitchen and grocery center – providing a convenient one-stop service center.
Launched a congregate Monday Hot Lunch that is open to clients and a family member, caregiver or friend, to enjoy a 3-course meal served restaurant-style.
Implemented a Van Delivery Program to provide healthy meals to clients too sick to visit us.
Expanded its reach by partnering with two Illinois AIDS Service Organizations to provide groceries and home-made frozen meals.
Following a pilot program with The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, expanded its mission to provide services to low-income cancer patients by a unanimous vote from the Board.
Received a Victory Against Hunger Award, coordinated through the Congressional Hunger Center – one of only 22 agencies nationwide to receive the award.
Began to purchase only food that is either trans fat free or has naturally occurring trans fats.
Formed a strategic partnership with Schnucks Specialty Pharmacy, which has a pharmacist on-site every week to help clients maximize the effectiveness of their medications.
Served an average of 1,400 meals per day for clients in need.
Served an average of 45,000 meals each month.
Food Outreach was presented with an award for “Health Advocate of the Year” by the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration.
We celebrated our 30th Anniversary.
Food Outreach was selected as a “Harkin on Wellness Designee” by the Harkin Institute at Drake University. The Harkin Institute believes that innovative and progressive wellness and nutrition initiatives that utilize a Food Is Medicine approach (e.g., systems approach to food and nutrition issues) have a larger impact on the complex health challenges we face today. Furthermore, they believe effective policy system level, and environmental change is necessary to accelerate the adoption, effectiveness, and sustainability of food and nutrition programs.
Food Outreach was awarded “Innovative Nonprofit of the Year” at the national “Raise” fundraising conference for the agency’s innovative work to address food insecurity during the pandemic.