To the editor: “Eat actual meals” is nice recommendation, however provided that you realize what which means (“‘Eat actual meals’ is nice recommendation, nevertheless it’s solely a part of the equation,” March 30).
At Venice Household Clinic, a nonprofit neighborhood well being heart for underserved Angelenos, we hear from sufferers every day who don’t know what wholesome meals appears to be like like — or whether or not they can afford it. One current affected person put it plainly: “Nobody ever advised me what ‘maintaining a healthy diet’ means till I began going to vitamin class.”
That training, together with entry to wholesome meals, saves each lives and cash.
Final yr alone, our clinic educated greater than 2,000 Angelenos via vitamin courses, wholesome cooking and outreach packages whereas distributing practically 1 million kilos of free, wholesome meals throughout Los Angeles.
However these free-to-the-community packages at the moment are at risk. Beneath the One Large Stunning Invoice Act, the CalFresh Wholesome Residing (SNAP-Ed) program was eradicated in October 2025. This program beforehand funded vitamin and cooking courses that assist our sufferers forestall and tackle persistent ailments together with diabetes and coronary heart illness.
With out further funding, meals education schemes like ours will finally disappear, and weak sufferers who depend upon them could have nowhere else to show.
Entry to wholesome meals issues. So does training on what to do with it. Let’s be sure we proceed to fund and supply each.
Mitesh Popat, Los Angeles
This author is chief govt of Venice Household Clinic.
