Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, Inc.

Introduction to the IHS Food Program

1. The Full-day Meal Packet Program. A meal packet is a one gallon zippered plastic bag, packed with enough food to feed one person for one day. IHS provides the packets to the Social Work Office at the UVA Hospital for distribution to caregivers of patients and for out-patients who cannot afford to feed themselves while they are here. The program relies on groups such as churches, scouts, clubs and friends to purchase food items, assemble packets, and place the completed packets into boxes for delivery or pickup. Meal packets are easy to assemble and fun for all ages to do. No number of meals is too small or too large. We estimate each meal packet costs about $5 to assemble. We project a minimum need of 3,000 meal packets in 2012.

IHS has produced a concise one-page Guide for the Full-day Meal Packet Program. It provides a description of the program, contact information, and a shopping list. The Guide can be downloaded at http://www.interfaithsanctum.org/foodlist.pdf. Please note that emphasis is given to two main entrees, fruit and applesauce cups, granola bars, cracker packs, spoon & fork wrapped in a napkin and a microwavable bowl, used when one of the entrees is a soup or stew in a flip-top can, versus in a microwavable cup, and then all placed into a gallon zip lock bag.

2. The UVA Hospitality House Program. Hospitality House (HH) is the UVA Hospital facility which provides lodging for adults (over 18) at an exceptionally low fee for mostly indigent patients and families being served at the UVA Medical Center. There is presently no food fund for HH or consistent food assistance from other charities; therefore IHS requested and received a grant for 2012 from the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band of Charlottesville Area Community Fund (CACF) to assist in support of this new involvement with Hospitality House and for back-up support for the Full-day Meal Packet Program.

   IHS has assumed the role as a stable twice monthly provider of frozen dinners, plus supplemental items requested by the UVA Hospitality House Manager. We estimate the need for 2,600 – 3,000 frozen meals in 2012. IHS will also participate in providing the two main holiday meals (Thanksgiving & Christmas) in 2012, as it did for the 2011 holiday offerings for guests at HH.

Monetary donations to IHS, which indicate a specific category of support, such as the “Food Program,” will be placed into the Food Program bank account and only used to support that IHS program. Remember – the grant mentioned is dedicated for food assistance and provides only partial funding for the food program. If a donation is not specifically indicated for a category, such as lodging, food, co-pay/emergency prescriptions, travel and the Baby Fund (for infant car seats and baby clothing for pediatric patients), then your monetary donation is placed into the bank account which at that time has the greatest need.