How BEDS Keeps People Fed – The Food Rescue Program

Written by Guest Blogger James Noyes, BEDS Plus Intern and Boston University Journalism Major

BEDS Plus is dedicated to offering a variety of resources to clients facing housing insecurity, including support for food insecurity.

Poverty profoundly impacts health by exacerbating issues related to food insecurity leading to chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which are more prevalent in food-insecure households. BEDS Plus is committed to breaking this cycle by providing healthier nutritional options and food education for both housed clients and those in shelter programs.

Addressing these concerns at BEDS is the Food Rescue Program. Spearheaded by Laura Prochaska, Beth Kulpinski and Gabby Wadach, the Food Rescue team collects and distributes food, coordinates donors, preserves, sorts, and packs food, assesses the needs within BEDS, and delivers food and coordinates meal teams where and when necessary. This comprehensive effort involves hours of work and travel every day to ensure that BEDS clients are provided meals and nutritional options.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity is defined as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” The effects of food insecurity are often most visible in urban areas. In Cook County, 13.6% of residents are food insecure, and this rate is higher among Latino and Black households.

“Every day is a new challenge,” said Prochaska, who started at BEDS as a volunteer in 2018. “I am responsible for tracking what we receive and working with the staff to determine the needs of all BEDS clients."

Seventeen different organizations provide food to BEDS, including restaurants, farms, and grocery stores. These donations become meals for the nearly 75 clients who rely on BEDS for every daily meal. In total, BEDS provides over 200 pre-packed meals every day and delivers weekly nutritional food boxes to housed clients. On average, BEDS is providing over 1300 meals a week. Many home-cooked meals are prepared by dedicated meal teams consisting of families and individuals who often serve the meals and cook them for our shelter clients daily.

“We send out boxes of food to housed clients every Tuesday. The boxes consist of alot of produce that we receive from Trader Joe’s and shelf-stable items that we get,” said Prochaska. “We’re very grateful for the donations.”

The Food Rescue Program at BEDS employs best practices and ensures that staff are trained in food safety. This includes adhering to guidelines for proper food handling, storage, and distribution to prevent contamination and ensure the food's safety and quality. These measures are crucial for maintaining the trust and health of the clients served by BEDS.

To improve the living conditions of a person, that person must be cared for. BEDS believes that by caring for those in need, we can begin to direct those we serve to healthier, stable lives. The Food Rescue Program is a vital part of this mission, and one part of the resources provided to those we serve.