Dear Friends,

In 2009, everyone had to make sacrifices—including Food Outreach.   Now in its 22nd year, Food Outreach continues to be one of the most innovative charitable organizations when forging new relationships and doing everything possible to make sure people living with HIV/AIDS or cancer have one less thing to worry about—access to proper nutrition and healthy meals.  We have been stewards of your contributions and looked at every budget line item to see where we can cut costs—including food and employee benefits.  But clients can still receive as many as two meals each and every day.  It is all about the clients first and foremost.

Leading a non-profit, you always have to look for those silver linings.  I truly believe that community involvement—your involvement—will be the difference between our clients eating well or them not eating at all.   You wouldn’t be involved with Food Outreach if you didn’t have the passion for our vital work in the community. 

It’s true that donations haven’t kept up with demand—15% more meals since the beginning of the 2009 added to a 25% increase in 2008.  But we still have the tradition of serving everyone who comes to our doors.

This past year we have nurtured relationships with Walgreens and Schnucks Specialty Pharmacy where they each have a pharmacist at Food Outreach on certain days.  Clients can ask these medical professionals questions about treatment issues and better understand the role our food has with drug effectiveness and clients’ tolerance of the medications.  

We have the philosophy of abundance where we always look for opportunities AND never harp on what we don’t have.  With that thinking, we were able to secure a refrigerated truck donated by the Harrah’s Foundation.  It has been on our wish list for several years.  With the truck, we can immediately double our service area with our home delivered meals.

If you are a current supporter, thank you for laying the groundwork for us to continue to be the premier nutrition support provider for people battling either HIV/AIDS or cancer.  Your commitment to the less fortunate and sense of social responsibility have made our mission possible.  I am forever grateful for all your contributions to ensure our clients don’t have to experience the unthinkable combination of hunger and life-threatening disease. 

If you aren’t currently in the Food Outreach family, I hope you take time to get to know us.  There is always room for another person at our table.

We act out of urgency because hunger with illness cannot wait.

I remain, sincerely yours,

Greg Lukeman

Executive Director