The ability to stay at home and still have access to kidney-friendly food is critical for kidney patients to avoid contracting COVID-19. Patients on dialysis need a very specific diet and they are also immunocompromised. Basic Kneads mission is to donate and deliver dietitian-recommended groceries to dialysis and transplant patients in need.

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Description

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Basic Kneads is a program started by Kidney Warriors Trinidad & Tobago (KWTT).  Being a kidney patient on dialysis myself I was thinking of ways to reduce any potential exposure to the Covid 19 virus, while still being able to get my groceries. That's when a friend of mine volunteered to get my groceries and bring them to me so I could reduce my exposure by staying home and limiting non-essential travel. From this, the idea of Basic Kneads took root. At the start of the pandemic in April 2020, Kidney Warriors Trinidad & Tobago rolled out a survey to better understand the struggles of kidney patients. The survey showed that food insecurity and adherence to a renal-friendly diet were among the top concerns for patients during Covid 19. 

With these findings in mind, Kidney Warriors Trinidad & Tobago launched Basic Kneads, a program that provides kidney patients with groceries so they can limit non-essential travel and reduce exposure.  KWTT partnered with renal dietitians to come up with a list of non-perishable food pantry items that are renal safe that can be delivered to kidney patients' homes so that they could stay home and stay safe. Kidney patients interested in receiving assistance from Basic Kneads were asked to submit an online application form. Acceptance to the program was based on their needs and food insecurity.  Once accepted into the program, the kidney patient was asked to provide preferred delivery times and select food items from our renal-dietitian-curated grocery list. Volunteers helped select groceries based on these preferences, typically with deliveries reaching the kidney patient's doorstep within seven days.

During the application process, Basic Kneads also collects both quantitative and qualitative information about demographics, kidney disease type and stage, and the impact kidney disease has had on the person's life. This information can help policymakers understand broader systemic issues within the kidney patient community and guide future care programs. 

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Implementation and adaptability

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Basic Kneads has demonstrated feasibility from the success of its initial rollout in November 2020 that delivered one-time free groceries to the doorsteps of kidney patients in most counties within Trinidad & Tobago. The process was simple — for kidney patients, as well as for those arranging grocery deliveries to these patients. Kidney patients complete a short application form and delivery preference form. Our forms are created using Google forms that allow for automation of mass distribution and collection of responses. After the applications are submitted they are screened and prioritized based on financial need. To schedule delivery, volunteers simply follow a predefined grocery list and have all the necessary information from the delivery preference form to place delivery orders. We have a highly streamlined process, from application to delivery, requiring limited staff and volunteers. Also, kidney patients impacted by Basic Kneads generosity often want to volunteer, so we do not foresee issues in finding sufficient volunteers.

Basic Kneads has reached out to kidney patients in a variety of care settings. For example, they might be in-center dialysis patients, home  peritoneal dialysis, patients, post-transplant patients, or chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1-5 patients. As we expand our program, we intend to reach out to more kidney patients across care settings.