(Barbados Nation) The HIV Food Bank continues to struggle to feed an increasing number of clients and has reached the point where it is forced to distribute less food.
Manager Stacia Whittaker said the organisation had also changed its needs profile as many of its clients also suffered with other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). “We continue to have challenges in meeting the needs, so we’ve had to reduce our hamper size. We are also seeing clients who have been diagnosed with other NCDs such as diabetes and hypertension and getting the right variety of food had also been a challenge, so we are encouraging our donors to opt for healthier foods,” she said.
Whittaker was speaking to the media on Friday during a presentation of foodstuff by the Kiwanis Club of Barbados North in the food bank’s Jemmotts Lane, St Michael offices.
She said one of the items struck from their pantry list was corned beef, which she said had caused some pushback, but it was important to reduce sugar, fat and salt from the foods they offered.
