Truckin’ to Tacoma

By David Hlebain, CSB Food Program Assistant

Chicken Soup Brigade doesn’t just serve those living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses in Seattle.  Every Tuesday morning, I load a van with bags of groceries and frozen meals for clients living in Pierce County.

The grocery bags are filled with staple items such as pasta, rice, and oatmeal, fresh fruits and veggies, high-protein items including beans, tuna, and peanut butter, milk, eggs, and chicken breasts.  Homemade frozen meals include tasty selections such as Chicken Curry, Hearty Spaghetti, and Atlantic Cod with Couscous.

In comparison to the bustling pace of Chicken Soup Brigade’s onsite Friday pick ups, where hundreds of clients pick up food during the day, the pick up center at the Pierce County AIDS Foundation (PCAF) is much quieter.  About thirty-five clients come in between noon and 3:00 p.m.  In addition to getting their groceries, clients sometimes sit down with me and chat.  We might swap recipes, reading lists, or tales of the past week.  Stories of triumphs, struggles, and day-to-day activities abound.

Lifelong is about more than just providing services.  Creating a nurturing and supportive community is at the heart of our mission.  The weekly exchange of food, stories, and smiles is one reflection of the spirit of Lifelong at work.

Healthy Cooking With Fresh Herbs

Herbs are fantastic! Besides giving awesome flavor to foods, they also contain many added health benefits. Take some THYME to check out what our CSB Kitchen staff has to say about the benefits and uses of herbs!


Chives
Chives are a variety of onion, and the use of onion varieties is highly encouraged as they are thought to aid in prevention of major diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

• Sprinkle over baked potatoes
• Add chopped chives to fish before serving
• Mix with salad greens – the flowers are edible too!

Mint
The mint family is one of the most useful of all medicinal herb families. They have a wide range of health benefits including preventing & relieving gas and working as a digestive aid.
• Add chopped mint a fruit salad
• Try a mint pesto on fish – mint, roasted garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, and olive oil blended in a food processor or blender
• Chew on mint leaves to naturally freshen breath

Basil
Basil has many of the same medicinal effects as other members of the mint family. Research has also shown basil to protect cell structure from radiation, leading experts to believe that it may provide important anti-cancer benefits.
• Add chopped basil to green salads or tuna salad
• Try a Caprese salad – basil leaves and fresh mozzarella on tomato slices with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle chopped basil over scrambled eggs

CSB Delivery Drivers: Why I Volunteer (Part 2)

I have known people who died of AIDS.  I do not like to think about anyone else suffering because they cannot get food.  Delivering food is a simple task that I can do to ensure people stay as healthy as possible while waiting for a cure for this disease.
-Julee

As a volunteer, I like that my time is taken seriously.  It is not considered free and without value.  It is treated as a resource, and I get sincere thanks from the staff for doing deliveries.  I also get that from the clients.
-Vincent

I lost most of my close friends in the early days of the epidemic and have been living with AIDS in one way or another ever since.  Since I have been so fortunate in many ways, this is a small thing I can do to give back to those who have not been so fortunate but are still living.
-Anonymous

Volunteering isn't hard, and when you see the smiles as they open their door to you, when they hug you and thank you for all that Chicken Soup Brigade does for them, it makes it all worthwhile.  In the end, I often feel like I am the real beneficiary of this goodwill gesture.
-Jean-Francois

Thank You To Our Volunteers!

Take a look at the Lifelong staff and what they have to say about our incredible volunteers!

I always trust that the front desk workers will take good care of my clients and keep me informed of things I need to know. They are always friendly, courteous and responsible. I love them!
~Megan, CRCS Coordinator

This organization was started by volunteers and they continue to serve as inspiration for all of us.

~David, Executive Director

Volunteers are essential to the kitchen!
~Jim, Executive Chef

The warehouse volunteers are the strongest, most generous group of people I have ever met. We could not do this without you and thank you for everything you do. You are my saviors!

~Spanky, Grocery Delivery Assistant

The volunteers could not rule more! They are truly the life blood of the organization. I can’t imagine what Lifelong would look like without them and am so appreciative of their time, energy and commitment.
~Katie, Bilingual STEP Coordinator

Each volunteer brings great energy to the work we do here at Lifelong. Be it a welcoming face at our front desks, a team packaging meals in the kitchen, a crew distributing meals and groceries on Fridays, or a That Thursday Thing group packaging condoms, each and every day is made brighter, easier and more unique because of our volunteers.

~Reno, Facilities Manager

CSB Delivery Drivers: Why I Volunteer

It makes me feel good to give back to the community – to know that I’ve done something that makes someone else’s life just a little bit easier.-
-Jim

It comes from a sense of feeling lucky really that I have health, family, and friends. I feel a strong sense of wanting to give to back in some small way. I wanted to feel connected to the place I live.
-Elaine

Before volunteering, each day was like all the others and I couldn't even keep track of what day of the week it was. Now I keep a careful schedule and eagerly anticipate my volunteer day. It makes me feel useful in life again. I have a purpose that fulfills me. It has changed me and means a great deal to my life.
-Scott

I feel if everyone gave some of their time and/or money then there would be plenty of help and aid for those in need. I am doing my part.
-Gary

Care To Shop for Chicken Soup Brigade

On Saturday, February 6th from 10am to 3pm, Care To Shop will take place at ALL of the PCC Markets in the greater Seattle area!

Care To Shop is one of Chicken Soup Brigade’s most important programs for collecting food and raising awareness in our community. Every Saturday, you will find CSB volunteers outside of local grocery stores handing out lists of shelf-stable items needed by the CSB kitchen. As shoppers exit the stores, they can hand their donations of food and money to one of the volunteers, and the donation will go straight into the grocery bag of a hungry person in our community.

Care To Shop grocery partners include:

• Ballard Market
• Central Market

• Greenwood Market
• PCC Markets
• QFC 15th Ave E
• QFC Broadway Market
• QFC Inglewood
• QFC Totem Lake
• Thriftway Vashon Island
• Whole Foods Market Roosevelt

Check out our website for upcoming Care To Shop dates and locations!

Special thanks to our Care To Shop sponsors, Wells Fargo and Alfred & Tillie Shemanski Testamentary Trust and Foundation.

Spread the word about this huge food drive, and help us feed people in our community!

David Richart's Interview on Comcast Newsmakers!

Check out David Richart, Lifelong’s Executive Director, on Comcast Newsmakers!

David talks about Lifelong’s nutrition-based food program, Chicken Soup Brigade (CSB), and how the economic recession has affected this program.  For 26 years, CSB fed anyone who walked through our doors and asked for help.  Now the program is at maximum capacity. We currently have over 400 people on our waiting list – and those are 400 people who are qualified to receive help from CSB.

Check out the interview for more information and to find out how you can help!

Welcome to the Chicken Soup Brigade Kitchen!

Chicken Soup Brigade, Lifelong's Food Program, is a leader in improving the nutritional health of people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses in the greater Seattle area.  CSB currently packs over 1,000 bags of groceries and distributes over 2,500 meals each week.  We couldn't do it without the help of our 150+ weekly CSB volunteers! 

There are many opportunities to volunteer with Chicken Soup Brigade. 

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  Food Delivery:  Deliver fresh meals and groceries to homebound clients
  
  
  
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  CSB Kitchen & Warehouse:  Prepare meals, sort food donations, and bag groceries
  
  
  
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  Care To Shop:  Collect food donations through our weekly food drive at partner grocery stores
  
  
  
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  Pick-Up Center:  Pack and distribute groceries and meals
  
  
  

Check out our website for more info: http://lifelongaidsalliance.org/volcsb.

New Year, New Blog

Lifelong AIDS Alliance is excited to announce the launch of our brand new agency blog!

We’ll be using our blog to regularly update you about the work we’re doing in our shared community as well as share information and knowledge regarding the worldwide HIV/AIDS crisis.

You can expect to see:
• HIV/AIDS breaking news
• Client stories
• Program updates and info
• Urgent calls-to-action
• Life-changing volunteer opportunities
• Tons of photos
• Delicious and nutritious Chicken Soup Brigade recipes
• Behind-the-scenes at Gay Bingo and other events
• And so much more!

We look forward to sharing our stories with you.

Sustaining Lives...Offering Hope