By SIERRA DAVIS
Pali Life Editor
One of the greatest challenges for those facing homelessness is receiving adequate nutrition, said Marissa Axelrod, a registered nurse and care coordinator at Ocean Park Community Center in Santa Monica.
Because they are eating less or skipping meals entirely, they may overeat when food does become available – falling victim to a “feast or famine” cycle. This flux in food consumption can contribute to weight gain and subsequent health problems.
“Nutrition plays a huge role in chronic illness,” Axelrod said. “If we can provide good nutrition, some of our clients may not even need medication. Our chef, Rufus, does an incredible job utilizing what comes into the kitchen from the garden and elsewhere and preparing it in a way that clients want to eat it.”
Axelrod, who also leads a nutrition group at the shelter, added that a big part of her job is about educating clients about how to introduce fresh produce and other healthy alternatives into their diet while at the shelter and after they have moved into independent housing.
“Decades ago, soup kitchens and food lines were about providing hearty, heavy meals to the homeless, but that can cause more problems like diabetes,” she said. “We’ve really moved into teaching people how to get the most out of their budget when they shop and how to plan a menu that includes whole grains, proteins and veggies – and we’ve seen a big difference in their health.”
Axelrod also acknowledges the importance of mental health and credits the soothing elements of the shelter’s gardening program with positive chances in clients’ behavior and stability.
“The garden gives people a chance to connect with the earth, to grown their own food and be part of a community. We are able to give them something and say ‘this is yours.’ They finally have ownership in something,” said Felix, a former client at OPCC who now oversees the garden’s Wellness Program. “And knowing the kids [from Seven Arrows] are involved, I see that as a great future for America and I appreciate their sense of humanity.”
Read the full story about the partnership between Seven Arrows Elementary and the OPCC on page 1 in the Jan. 8 issue of the Palisadian-Post.
Fifth grade students in Sally Haskell’s class welcomed Felix and Steven Kiralla to their classroom.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
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