According to Move for Hunger, approximately 13.1 million children in the U.S. are food insecure. In Delaware, 12.6% of the state’s population — 125,370 people — were food insecure in 2022. And in Florida, 2,935,330 people are facing hunger, including 819,940 children. This is higher than the share of people facing hunger nationwide. (Feeding America.) In a country with 813 billionaires, these numbers are astonishing.
The Poverello Eat Well Center was founded in 1987 by Father Bill Collins (1931-2017) and his dedicated group of volunteers. At the time, the goal was to “operate a nonprofit clinic,” feed, and sometimes house people who were dying alone and rejected by society in large numbers with complications from AIDS.
The crisis was so devastating, and Collins performed so many last rites, that he began to keep a “book of names” so that the community would not forget how many died and who they were.
Today, Poverello continues by helping the poor and sick to “eat well.” Each year, nearly 5,000 South Floridians needing support come to the Poverello Center to select medically appropriate grocery items from their specialized menus and receive key nutritional information from our nutritionist.
Since their inception, Poverello has been “broadening our health assistance to include transportation, housing and insurance services,” says Thomas Pietrogallo, CEO of Poverello. The mission at Poverello is “providing nutritious food with understanding, respect, and love for individuals living with critical and chronic illness.” They address the complex interplay between individual health behaviors focusing on preventing chronic diseases in our community.
And those aren’t just words: you feel the respect and love once you walk in the doors. The Poverello Center is much more than a food pantry. There is a thrift store in front of the building, with proceeds from the store funding the pantry. There is a gym for clients to use. Clients can also get a haircut or get a massage. A nutritionist, nurse practitioner and chiropractor are all available on certain days. Weekly cooking classes foster a sense of community for those seeking connections. Pietrogallo explains they are “covering the necessities to let someone achieve their health.”
Poverello is an AIDS service organization that is independent and governed locally. They are able to continue through a variety of grants and donations which account for a third of their budget. The other two thirds come from the thrift store.
Clients are able to access the food pantry through programs including the Ryan White Program. There are three different tiers to that with some clients able to visit the pantry weekly or monthly depending on income and need.
As of March 2023, the Eat Well Center served 1,900 clients with HIV in Broward County and 1,388 clients with diabetes.
Roger, 59, Wilton Manors, a longtime volunteer said, “as cheesy and as corny as it sounds I get more out of volunteering here than I give.”
Contrary to what some conservative lawmakers think being poor isn’t a crime, being homeless isn’t a crime and living in poverty isn’t a crime. People need help every once in a while.
I am proud to be a small part of an organization that gives help.
For more information on Poverello or to make a donation visit poverello.org.
