Special Diet Food Donations 

In the early stages of the Hillside Food Outreach, we provided food for about 18 seniors citizens with food we purchased from the Local Food Bank.  All that is basically available from local food banks is food that does not address the needs of those with special dietary needs due to medical conditions.  One of our early clients was a lovely woman in her 70's.  Rose was trying to live month to month on only her Social Security income and never had enough money for food to carry her from one SS check to the next.  The only food that we had available for Rose was food that aggravated her diabetes, but her only  choices were to go hungry or eat food she knew would make her diabetes worse! 

What would you do? Yes, we would all make the same choice, to take the chance and not go hungry!  Roses' predicament stuck with us for a long time and we vowed to do something, not only for Rose but for all of our clients that had to follow special diets related to medical conditions.

The Hillside Food Outreach has since teamed up with Corporations such as Wakefern Corporation (Shoprite Supermarkets) and Fairway Markets to help us purchase and, at times, obtain free donations of food that is especially what our medical needs clients can use.  For example, clients suffering with diabetes cannot eat white pasta or white rice, they cannot eat cereals with a large sugar content.  They are in need of brown rice, whole wheat pasta and cereals with no sugars added. There are many other foods that are healthier for our diabetic clients and also for those diagnosed with other food related diseases.

However, we still rely on the strong support that we get from our friends who make donations of the special dietary foods we seek.  Many people bring us in food that they picked up for us as they were doing their grocery shopping, many do food drives at local supermarkets, in their place of business and their churches, synagogues and civic organizations. 

If you would like to donate to our "special dietary needs" shelves the following is a partial list of the food we need:

Brown Rice

Whole Wheat Pasta's

Canned Fruits with no sugar added

Canned Vegetables with no added salt

Plain Oatmeal

Wheat Chex

Rice Chex

Tuna Fish 

Gluten Free Foods

Glucerna and Glucerna Products