Nutrition education that empowers and uplifts.

Our Nutrition Policy Statement:

A holistic and community-centered approach to nutrition is our foundation for an equitable, transparent, and dignified food system. Offering culturally relevant and nourishing foods, we elevate individual voice and choice to allow for informed decision-making. At the forefront of our efforts are health-forward initiatives that promote nutrition security and uphold our mission of harnessing the power of communities to end hunger.

Supporting Wellness At Pantries (SWAP) policy:

SWAP is a stoplight nutrition ranking system designed to help promote healthy food choices at food banks and food pantries. It ranks foods based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars because these nutrients are linked with an increase risk of chronic diseases. SWAP aligns with the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System and ranks food into three categories: Green (choose often), Yellow (choose sometimes), and Red (choose rarely). 
 

Learn More About SWAP

Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) policy:

GFPP transforms the way public institutions purchase food by creating a transparent and equitable food system built on five core values: local economies, health, valued workforce, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. The Center for Goof Food Purchasing provides a comprehensive set of tools, technical support, and verification system to assist institutions in meeting their Program goals and commitments.
 
Learn More About GFPP

 

 

Nutrition and Health Education is part of the work we do to provide the most nutritious foods possible.

The food we distribute is evaluated by our dietitians and curated to ensure families receive foods they love to eat that will make full meals. 

Our Nutrition and Health Education team includes Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Interns, volunteer medical students and nurses, who are available to answer health-related questions. As guests arrive to pick up groceries, volunteer medical students from Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine and nurses from Rush Oak Park Hospital are on hand to offer blood pressure screenings and help identify immediate health needs. Our dietitians and dietetic interns screen clients at drive-through pantry for food allergies and diet restrictions and offer special diet boxes to help meet their needs. 

Our Nutrition Education team also oversees a stoplight nutrition ranking system called SWAP that makes choosing healthier foods at our Community Market pantry easier. Additionally, our team offers cooking and nutrition education classes on Zoom, which seek to empower families with the knowledge and skills to select and use nutritious food on a limited budget.

The Nutrition and Health Education Team Offers:

  • Cooking and Nutrition classes on Zoom 
  • Recipe database on Beyond Hunger's website 
  • Nutrition handouts and delicious recipes available at food distributions
  • Nutrition outreach with local community organizations
  • Free Blood Pressure checks during open pantry hours and healthcare referrals

Register for one of our upcoming Nutrition Education Classes: Sign Up

This summer our Nutrition Education team is partnering with the Austin Town City Market to offer tours and cooking demonstrations.  Join us and learn about the great fresh and local produce you can purchase right in the Austin community.  Market tours are on select Thursdays at 2:30 pm.  Click below for dates and more information. 

Farmers Market

Check out an upcoming Farmers Market Tour

For more information contact Maria Delis, RD LDN, Nutrition Program Coordinator (708) 386-1324 ext. 1110.

Health Ambassadors Program

Our Health Ambassadors receive training focused on nutrition education, cooking skills, and diabetes management. They additionally receive a stipend to do outreach and host healthy eating and diabetes management workshops in Chicago's Austin community. 

Learn more

"Volunteering at Beyond Hunger was an amazing experience! It was so impressive to see so many residents in the surrounding area come in and get the food and benefits services needed.  People coming in were happy to have a connection with someone at RUSH Oak Park Hospital. They asked questions about medications, how to get a copy of their medical records and even shared personal experiences about their past health needs. It is only 2 hours of your time that is well spent being a part of the community you work in."

Shelly Panock MSN, RN, CNL, NEA-BC Unit Director Medical Surgical Unit Rush Oak Park Hospital