Secretary of Commerce Pritzker, CNCS and Others Celebrate MLK Day at Food & Friends

To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, a day designated by Congress to honor the late civil rights leader, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker volunteered at Food & Friends by packing meals for children and adults living with life-challenging illnesses.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, CNCS CEO Wendy Spencer,
FedEx, Alpha Kappa Alpha and others volunteering on MLK Day.

Secretary Pritzker was joined by family, friends and more than 15 of her staff members. Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) CEO Wendy Spencer and staff, FedEx, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Sigma Iota Alpha, also spent their holiday volunteering with us.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. volunteered his life to change the world. The MLK Day of Service gives people the opportunity to follow his example of serving others,” said Food & Friends Executive Director Craig Shniderman. “We owe a debt of gratitude to Secretary Pritzker, CEO of CNCS Wendy Spencer, FedEx, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Iota Alpha, and the thousands of others that spent their time walking in Dr. King’s footsteps.”

Food & Friends relies on the generosity of thousands of volunteers every year to deliver nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. We’re happy to add Secretary Pritzker to this special group of people!

Successful Holiday Toy Drive - More than 600 Gifts Delivered!

Once again the community came together to assist us in our annual holiday toy drive for our young clients and the children of clients. For the families we serve, many of whom are battling illness accompanied by financial pressure, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time of year.

Macy's staff dropping off dozens of toys to be
delivered to Food & Friends' young clients.

Our goal this year was to make sure that the 254 young people we serve received a special holiday present. Dozens of organizations and individuals helped us to not only reach this goal but exceed it! We wrapped and delivered more than 640 donated toys and coats, making the holiday especially memorable for clients.

A special thank you goes out to our corporate partners, Macy’s and Inter-American Development Bank, and referral partners, Whitman-Walker Health, Kaiser Permanente and Hospice of the Chesapeake, for their donations. We received car-load after car-load from these partners and we can’t thank them enough.

The words of one very excited mother on service express the impact of this special delivery:

“Thank you so much for the gifts you gave us – you all made our Christmas. It was fantastic! I wish I could have videotaped the way my kids were reacting – it was beautiful. My son was still hopping around when we were going to church. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until you get in a place like this, you have no idea how valuable a service like Food & Friends is. I don’t know what I would do without you all. I know everyone says it, but I really do love you all.”

Thank you to everyone who donated to the holiday toy drive. Many of you have been doing so for years and we are grateful for the continued support. Happy New Year!

8 Food Trends to Expect in 2014

Check out our dietitians' predictions for the top food trends of 2014. 

1. CLEAN EATING. Although the Paleo diet was all the buzz in 2013, a more realistic approach to clean eating will be seen in 2014. This trend advocates eating food as close to its natural state as possible. The focus is on whole foods - lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats - and limiting processed food intake.

2. HOMEMADE ALTERNATIVES. Using olive oil and lemon juice in place of the previous trend of low fat, low sodium dressing alternatives is a trend in 2014. Other examples include using high citrus fruits like kiwi and oranges to marinate and tenderize meat and using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

3. GOING LOCAL, FROM PEOPLE TO INDUSTRY. Many of Food & Friends' local restaurant partners that support Dining Out for Life® and Chef's Best Dinner & Auction have already included locally-sourced items on their menus. This year, chain restaurants will be following suit. Chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread are expanding awareness by using catch phrases such as “Food with Integrity” and “Live Consciously” to promote their safe sourcing practices and wellness promotion.

4. ALLERGEN-FREE FOOD. 13% of American adults have some type of food allergy. However, more people are choosing allergy-free foods even though it is not a necessity for their health. An example of this is choosing to eat gluten-free. Ingredients like quinoa, rice and buckwheat are more popular and available on grocery store shelves.

5. MEAT-FREE ALTERNATIVES. More non-vegetarians will be consuming meat substitutes. Tofu, portabella, and black bean burgers will be popping up on fast-food and restaurant menus alike. 

6. NUTS FOR DAIRY. Lactose-intolerant, vegan, and clean-eaters are choosing milk-and-dairy-free options. Soy and rice cheese are already found in grocery stores, however, be on the look-out for cashew, hazelnut, and hemp milks.

7. "ALLOWABLE" SNACKS. Snacks containing nutritionally dense, functional ingredients are on the rise. Roasted seaweed snacks, kale chips, and seeds are now available in convenient, on-the-go packages. 

8. NATURAL SWEETENERS. As more people are watching their sugar and calorie intake, demand for calorie-free, natural sweeteners is increasing. Stevia and other natural sugars like coconut and palm sugar are becoming more prevalent.