The Healthy Celiac Podcast

Ensuring Access - Charities Supporting the Gluten Free Community Ep. 200

• Belinda Whelan • Season 1 • Episode 200

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Previously, in Episode 48: Food Shortages and Celiac Disease, I discussed the challenges of accessing safe gluten free food during crises, such as natural disasters or pandemics. It's helpful to be aware of the resources available to ensure no one has to choose between going hungry or getting sick.​

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out to these organizations. Alternatively, if you're in a position to support, consider donating, volunteering, or simply sharing this information to raise awareness. Small actions can make a significant impact in someone's life.​

In this special Podcasthon episode, I highlight organizations dedicated to providing gluten free food assistance to those in need. Discover how these charities are making a difference and learn how you can support their vital work.​

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Music Credit bensound.com 



Speaker 1:

Welcome to this week's special episode of the Healthy Celiac Podcast. I am your host, belinda Whelan, and today I am honored to be part of Podcast Thon. It's a global event bringing together podcasters to raise awareness for some amazing charities making a difference in people's lives. Now Podcast Thon reached out to me last year and asked if I would like to be involved and I thought, yes, absolutely. This is an amazing opportunity to share more about some of the charities and some of the options available out there for those of us with celiac disease and people that have to eat gluten-free. So, as you know, managing celiac disease means a lifelong commitment to a strict gluten-free diet. But you know gluten-free food is so much more expensive and I don't have to convince you of that. You know that and for many people it is actually out of reach and with the cost of living that's been increasing and food insecurity, it has been a massive issue worldwide recently and for those of us with celiac disease the struggle is a lot higher than the average person because of the cost of our food. Many food banks don't have safe gluten free food options. There was recently a cyclone that went through in Queensland part of Australia here just recently and some people were sharing that they couldn't get any safe, gluten-free food from these food banks that were donating food for people, because people lost power, they were kicked out of their homes and there was nothing available to a lot of these people. So there are. You know, there are some amazing charities doing great things, and that's why I wanted to share about a whole heap of different um charities today. I didn't want to just focus on one, because there's so many doing great things throughout the world. So, yeah, that's why today, I wanted to share you know more about these, these charities, and shine a light on them, because they are truly making a difference and helping those of us us with celiac and food insecurity. So, whether you're in the U S, whether you're in Australia or beyond, I wanted to talk about a variety of these organizations that are stepping up to make sure that no one goes without safe, gluten-free food and it might not be you, but perhaps you're in a position financially where you can make a donation or even if you just share this information with other people to let people know about these charities and what's available to them, that could be enough to make a difference as well.

Speaker 1:

Now, first up, I want to start with some gluten-free food assistant charities in the US. So the first one that I've got for you is the National Celiac Association Feeding Gluten-Free. They partner with some of the major gluten-free brands and stock food pantries across the US and they offer a searchable directory of food banks that provide gluten-free food, which is fantastic making it. You know, it's pretty easy to jump online and be able to search and look for those options, so that's pretty cool. They work with local support groups as well to identify families in need. So you can find them at nationalceliacorg, and I'm going to put a list to all of these websites below as well so that you can check them out.

Speaker 1:

The next one is GIG Cares. I don't actually know if that's pronounced jig or if it's just pronounced GIG Cares, so if you're having a giggle because I'm saying it wrong, I do apologize, but they provide monthly gluten-free food boxes to families facing food insecurity and they work to address the high cost of gluten-free food, which, as you know, is much more expensive than regular food, unfortunately and they encourage donation and they also encourage volunteers to help with delivery of these food. You know hampers and things, so that's wonderful as well. So you can find them at jigcaresorg. The next one is Food Equality Initiative, and it's found. It was founded in Kansas City and this charity provides food banks with allergy safe and gluten-free foods and they help underserved communities gain access to you know the necessary diet, access to you know the necessary diet dietary accommodations, rather that people need. So you can find them at food equality initiativeorg. The next one is securing safe food, and they're based in Connecticut and it's a nonprofit that works with food pantries, again, to ensure consistent gluten-free and allergy friendly options, and they also offer direct support to families that are struggling with food access. So, again, another wonderful charity doing amazing things. So you can find them at SecuringSafeFoodorg. And the next one is Better Batter Special Pricing Program and they offer discounted gluten-free food for low-income households, students and those with medical needs which technically, is all of us with celiac disease, I guess because we do have a medical necessity for having to eat gluten-free. So they're definitely worth checking out if you are, you know, on a low income or you're a student and you need some added support. So they they make things like um, you know, access to staples like flour and baking mixes much more affordable. So you can check them out at better batterorg.

Speaker 1:

Now for those of you closer to home in Australia, here with me we've got the wonderful Celiac Australia. It's our leading charity that supports people with celiac disease. They do incredible things. They provide education, support and advocacy for gluten-free accessibility and they host the annual gluten-free expo, who you know if you've been to one of their expos I'm still yet to go to one. My mom's been to one and raves about it and everyone in the community talks about it and they help connect those of us that have to eat gluten-free with plenty of gluten-free food options. But they do amazing things and they're definitely worth, you know, supporting, whether that's through donations or whether that's through a subscription to their magazine and their services that they offer. But you can check them out at celiacorgau.

Speaker 1:

The next one is food for change and they they actually grow and rescue food for food relief organizations across australia and they partner with food banks to provide nutritious and allergy safe meals. So you can find them at foodforchangeorgau. The next one is Open Table and they are located in Melbourne and they are a community based charity addressing food insecurity and social isolation. So they offer free, fresh meals and community pantry services and, thankfully, including gluten-free options. So you can check them out. Opentableorg, all right now heading over to the UK and we've got Celiac UK. So they work with food banks and manufacturers to increase gluten-free food availability and provide financial support resources for those who are struggling to afford gluten-free food. So you can find them at celiacorguk. And then we go over to Canada and you've got the Canadian Celiac Association. They run the Gluten-Free Food Bank Program, which helps stock food banks with safe gluten-free options, and they also offer a national food assistance directory for celiac friendly support. So if you haven't checked them out and you're in Canada, you can head to celiacca Now.

Speaker 1:

I have previously done an episode on food insecurity and I do believe that what triggered that episode was COVID and how everyone went a little bit crazy with stocking up food and you know shelves being clear and just. It was just a scary time to have to try and find safe food. And I recently saw videos of supermarkets up in Queensland just in the lead up to this cyclone coming through, and I'm not even joking. It was like bare the shelves were bare. There was nothing on the shelves and that is just scary. That's a scary place to be and I know for a fact that I was definitely buying more staple foods when COVID first hit, because I was worried about the state of how things were going with food and I talked about this a lot on that episode.

Speaker 1:

So I might actually link that below as well, if you want to go back and listen to that. And it's it's kind of an awareness as well of what other people face, and it's not it's not always that people can't afford the food. Some people actually cannot get access to gluten-free food. So that's a bit of an enlightening episode that ties in quite well with this. But having said that, I do hope that today's episode has opened your eyes to some of the challenges that people with celiac disease do face, if you aren't personally facing these.

Speaker 1:

When it does come to food insecurity Because no one should have to choose between going hungry and getting sick, and I have seen it time and time again where people say that they can't afford to eat gluten-free and they, they, they go for the gluten foods. So the thing that I can only say about that is you know, I understand that we do rely on packaged food a lot and you know kids go to school with certain foods, and if it means that you're choosing gluten over something very basic. I would say stick to the basic foods. I know it sounds terrible and I know it sounds rough, but there are some very financially affordable options that you can make quite easily without having to gluten yourself, easily, without having to gluten yourself. So I hope you never are in that position where you resort to eating gluten because you feel like it is the cheaper option.

Speaker 1:

So you know, if you personally need help with any of these options that I've talked about today, please check out the websites. Otherwise, if you'd like to support any of these incredible organizations, please consider donating, volunteering or just, you know, spreading the word. That would be amazing. So you can either share this episode or you can tag people when I you know, post about it on socials and and let people know that there are these options available, because, doing the research for this episode, I was actually quite blown away by how many incredible charities there are out there helping with, you know, food insecurity and helping stock these pantries. So, like I said, if you can help in any way by donating, volunteering or sharing the word, that would make a massive difference because, as you know, small actions can make a big difference in someone else's life and if you or someone you know needs help, reach out to these charities, because that's what they're there for. And if you or someone you know needs help, reach out to these charities because that's what they're there for. And you are not alone in this journey. Please know that you're not the only one that is going through this.

Speaker 1:

So I want to thank you for tuning into this very special podcast on episode and, you know, don't forget to subscribe before you go and if you do have a chance to leave a review as well, that would be amazing.

Speaker 1:

And, like I said, share the episode to help raise awareness and together we can make a difference. So thank you so much for tuning in and I look forward to talking to you on next week's episode and I will be celebrating 200 episodes on next week's show. 200 episodes on next week's show and this is actually episode number 200, but I wanted to do this episode for this special week of podcast on and use next week's episode to truly celebrate 200 episodes of the show. I can hardly believe it, but make sure you tune back in, because I am having a competition to celebrate and I would love you to be part of it and I would hate for you to miss out. So, yeah, make sure you check out next week's episode to find out all about the prizes that I have available for you and how you can enter. So take care, and I look forward to talking with you on next week's episode. Bye.

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Belinda Whelan

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