2006年VOA标准英语-People with AIDS Can Live Healthier and Happier

By Jeff Swicord
Washington, DC
01 December 2006
 
watch Food and Friends report

 
Food and Friends prepare meals for people living with HIV/AIDS
On this World AIDS day, it is estimated that 40 million people around the world are now living with HIV and AIDS.  Although new medications have dramatically increased the life expectancy¹ of people living with the disease, each day is still a struggle to stay healthy and survive.  Jeff Swicord reports on one organization in the Washington D.C. area that helps people with AIDS live healthier and fuller lives.

An early morning delivery from Food & Friends, a non-profit organization that provides free meals and friendship to people living with HIV and AIDS. 

 
Duane Hanlon
People like Duane Hanlon, who was diagnosed with AIDS six years ago after contracting a severe case of pneumonia². "I started Food & Friends right after I got out of the hospital because I had lost about 80 pounds, and when I got out I was totally weak.  I couldn't squat³ down and get back up."

Food & Friends has delivered over nine million meals to more than 14,000 people since it was founded in 1988.  Their staff of chefs and nutritionists work out of spacious⁴ facilities in Washington D.C. 

The program fills a role that has been missing from AIDS care in the United States.  People with HIV/AIDS are often too sick to work, and do not have the financial means to eat a healthy diet.  And, the medications they must take to stay healthy often dramatically affect their appetite.  Food & Friends staff nutritionists and chefs work closely with each client to balance their diet with their nutritional⁵ needs. 

 
Charnay Henderson
Charnay Henderson is the organization's program manager for Food & Friends. "The dietitians really work with the clients.  If they are having an increase in appetite, they figure out ways to help them add in calories without overloading⁶ their system with fats and other things that they shouldn't have, or, the reverse.  And if they have a decrease in appetite, figure out ways to break up the meal and try to get the calories they need in with the medications they have to take."

Seventy-five percent of Food & Friends clients live on less than $1,000 U.S. a month, which is below the poverty level in the Washington D.C. area.  For those clients, the food services are a lifeline they would have trouble surviving without. 

Food & Friends consists of three different meal programs: a home delivered meal program where clients get a package of three nutritious⁷ meals a day and snacks; groceries-to-go program where clients can cook their own meals for themselves and often their families; and meals-plus, which is a combination of prepared meals and groceries.     

 
Food and Friends meals, packed for delivery 
Services are personalized, says Henderson. "We really try to figure out what works best for the client.   Based on where they are with their illness and what their particular needs are, we will send them that meal."

The services Food & Friends provide would not be possible without the help of more than 800 volunteers, who cook, pack and deliver meals and groceries.  The volunteers often make lasting⁸ friendships with the clients. 

Duane Hanlon says, aside from the great meals he gets, it's the other things that Food & Friends provide that mean the most. "It's a Food and Friends Christmas decoration. And they give Valentines cards, and here is my Thanksgiving card right here that came with my meals.  All these little extra things that they do, like they bring a poinsettia for Christmas.  I can't wait for my poinsettia.  I really look forward to that."

Food & Friends continues to expand its client base.  In 2005 it started a program targeted toward HIV-positive mothers.  And it provides services to cancer patients as well. 

1 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

2 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

3 squat   

v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的

参考例句：

• For this exercise you need to get into a squat.在这次练习中你需要蹲下来。
• He is a squat man.他是一个矮胖的男人。

4 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

5 nutritional   

adj.营养的，滋养的

参考例句：

• A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。
• The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

6 overloading   

过载，超载，过负载

参考例句：

• Enables multiple users to search the site without overloading the server. 使多个用户搜索网站，而无需超载的服务器上。
• The driver got stripped down again for overloading his trunk. 那位卡车司机因为超载又受到责备。

7 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。

8 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。