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NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES () — Eggs are a part of a rich protein diet for people living with HIV.
“You get some eggs, I got my eggs,” Tom Kaiser said, as we visited with him outside APLA Health’s food pantry in North Hollywood.
“Gotta make that quiche, you got have your eggs.”
Kaiser said he comes to the Vance North Necessities of Life Program weekly, the largest food pantry focused on the needs of HIV clients in the nation.
“The greatest impact for me is that I haven’t had to buy groceries in years, just only enough to supplement what they give me here,” Kaiser said. “They are so generous.”
The pantry provides food and other staples to more than a dozen food pantries throughout Los Angeles County.
“The Necessities of Life Program, it is a food pantry, food distribution program for low-income persons,” said Jeff Bailey, senior director of HIV Access Programs.
“It’s a lifesaver, right now,” John Carey said.
For nearly 3,000 people living with HIV like John, the pantry keeps them afloat during these tough financial times.
“Groceries are high, being unemployed,” Carey said. “There’s two in my household, we’re both unemployed, and it’s a lifesaver.”
The program provides clients a range of food and drink options, including this essential.
“Toilet, I mean, our T.P.,” laughed Ramiro Salazar. “During COVID, I’m sure this, yes, there was a scarcity of T.P., but we always had our T.P. for our clients during COVID.”
NOLP is one of the many programs under the umbrella of APLA Health, which provides a range of different services to the LGBTQ+ community.
Salazar said none of the programs would work efficiently without volunteers from the community, including eager helpers from Eyewitness News.
“We’re very grateful that a team from 7 came to do a day of service in the pantry, they helped us buy groceries, but they also brought with them personal hygiene products to give out to our clients,” Salazar said.
Ramiro said essentials items mean the world to those struggling to get by.
In the end, it shows the power of people helping people.
Click here to donate to APLA Health, benefiting the Necessities of Life Program.
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