Services

THE DINING ROOM

NUMBERS. An average of 145 meals are served daily in the dining room at Heart and Soul.  More guests need the dining room late in the month.  When school is not in session, we have many children.  We purchase food for the dining room with private donations and grants. Much food is procured through the Food Bank of Western New York.

NEEDS OF GUESTS.  Approximately half of  our regular dining room guests struggle with mental illness, while others are developmentally delayed.  Elderly couples who have lived all their lives in the neighborhood join us, as do mothers with small children.

THE PANTRY

NUMBERS. The food pantry serves approximately 375 households per month, providing bags of food for families who are able to prepare it at home.  Prepared bags are filled with food procured from the WNY Food Bank as well as food purchased through donations.  Following Food Bank guidelines, each bag contains food for twelve days.  The number of bags given depends on the size of the household.

FOOD PANTRY GUESTS.  Guests of the pantry include the chronically poor, those on fixed incomes and many waiting for their first check for unemployment, disability or public assistance. A social worker can offer assistance to guests who are eligible for public services.

Guests of the food pantry are given bags of food according to the Food Bank guidelines, so that there are 12 days of food offered in prepared bags. Bags are prepared according to Food Bank guidelines and in keeping with the preferences of the guests.

Guests are also invited to prepare a bag for their family from items on the “choice shelf.”  The choice shelf includes items purchased with donations and given by individuals, churches and community groups.  The choice shelf contains food and toiletries.  Toiletries are provided through the generosity of churches, community organizations and individuals.

Services Offered

To fulfill the second apart of its mission, “to provide guests opportunities to improve their quality of life, “ H&S offers services directly or  in collaboration with other organizations.  Some services are offered regularly and others are offered occasionally as the need warrants.

Nursing

The parish nurse program at Mt. St. Mary Hospital sends nurses to assist guests of H&S in monitoring chronic health problems or assessment and referral for varied concerns.   The nursing program also brings clinics and other services.  The parish nurse program also sets up health fairs and clinics for the guests.  Employees from Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital assist Heart and Soul with a variety of special projects, including holiday meals and gifts.

Social Work

A social worker is available to guests of H&S five days a week during dining hours.   The needs brought to the social worker are many and varied.   Sometimes services are as simple and straightforward as assisting a guest to fill out or file forms. 
At other times the situation requires complicated advocacy and referral as when a guest has been burned out of his dwelling or when a person has been the victim of spousal abuse or another crime.  In 2009 this service is funded through a grant from the United Way.

Veterans Administration

The Veterans’ Administration sends a social worker to Heart and Soul each week to  connect veterans with the services for which they are eligible.    Services available for veterans include medical, financial and housing services.  Nationally, 30% of homeless people and a large percentage of those who need soup kitchens are veterans of the armed services.  Each year H&S honors those who served our nation the armed services on  Veterans Day.

Cooking and Nutrition Classes

Each month, a dietician from Just Say ’Yes’ to Fruits and Vegetables comes to H&S to teach the preparation of low-cost, nutritious meals. The ingredients in each meal include the types of food typically available in the food pantry or food that can be purchased at low cost because it is local and in season.  Each participant is given groceries to try the menu at home.  This program is always enthusiastically over-enrolled.

Services Offered on Occasion

Health Clinics

The parish nurse program brings health clinics to H&S though the year. The County Health Department comes with flu shots and again with HIV-AIDS testing.  Nursing students come to check blood pressure and blood sugar.  A dental clinic offers screening  and a health fair allows guests to learn of varied health services for which they might be eligible, especially medical insurance.

Addiction Services

NA, Narcotics Anonymous, meets weekly at Heart and Soul.  Meetings are held on Thursday at noon.  While the meetings are held at H&S, all people involved in the twelve step recovery are welcome to participate in these meetings.  The Northpointe Council sends an addiction counselor to Heart and Soul. The counselor is available for individuals who have concern about their own drinking or other addiction as well as for those who are finding their lives impacted by the drug or alcohol use of another person. 

Additional Medical Services

Each year on Holy Thursday podiatrists offer a clinic which includes a foot whirlpool, a foot massage and toe nail clipping as well as  examination and treatment by the podiatrist.   Annually a group of massage therapists, Shiatsu practioners and manicurists treat guests of Heart and Soul to a spa day. Guests bask in the attention and leave refreshed. Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital and Fidelis Care come to Heart and Soul to explain the types of medical insurance available and to assist guests in enrolling for these insurances.

Recreational Programs

For one week during the summer, two artists come to Heart and Soul  to offer instruction in painting.   While some people like    to take their paintings home, others leave their pictures at Heart and Soul to adorn the walls.  For two weeks at the end of the summer vacation, Mt. St. Mary Hospital offers a program of exercise and nutrition for children.  During other school breaks crafts and movies are offered for  children.