HOUSTON— A crowd gathered on Wednesday, April 18 at Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) for the distribution of free food and NAM’s Health and Wellness Fair.
The Joanne Watford Nutrition Center served 145 low-income families, with a total of 571 family members, from the greater Houston area on a first-come, first serve basis. The food from the Mobile Food Pantry, which included fresh fruits and vegetables, was purchased from NAM’s partner agency, the Houston Food Bank.
“We are glad that we were able to give the fresh produce and other food items to those who came out to the Mobile Food Pantry,” said Kerima Pizzaro, Supervisor at the Joanne Watford Nutrition Center. “We want to promote better nutritional habits and motivate people to make healthier food choices for themselves and for their families.”
Along with distributing free food, NAM conducted a Health and Wellness Fair hosted by NAM’s Children’s Clinic. Those in attendance took advantage of free health screenings and various health resources offered by NAM’s Children’s Clinic, NAM’s Relief Services, and other organizations dedicated to improving the health of the community.
“We were able to nourish people’s mind, body and soul and we hope to continue serving the community and increasing awareness within the community about NAM’s available resources.” explained Abiya Malhotra, Director of NAM’s Children’s Clinic.
The Joanne Watford Nutrition Center (JWMC) is a choice food pantry that operates like a grocery store. Clients choose their own food from designated categories, including fresh produce, meat, dairy and frozen items. During the fiscal year 2016-2017, the JWNC served 19,380 people by providing fresh, frozen, and non-perishable groceries for well-balanced meals. It provided supplemental monthly groceries for 125 low-income seniors through the Senior Food Program and it delivered holiday meals to more than 1,000 families.
The Children’s Clinic is a unique partnership between NAM and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). While bringing excellent care to its patients, the clinic also serves as a training facility for UTHealth Science Center students as well as other local universities and community colleges.
Northwest Assistance Ministries is a non-profit, community-based social service agency that strives to meet basic human needs through Neighbors Helping Neighbors. NAM provides assistance in areas such as food, shelter, health, education and domestic violence awareness and intervention. During its last fiscal year, NAM touched the lives of more than 129,000 people through its many programs and services.