Food & Friends recently reached a new
milestone—serving its 20 millionth home delivered meal! Much has changed at
Food & Friends over the years – we’ve expanded services, grown into new
facilities, evolved our menu – but the personal impact of serving a meal to a
neighbor remains a cornerstone of our work. It’s a communal act that, no matter
how many times you do it, never fades in its importance.In the early days of Food & Friends, during the height of the AIDS crisis, meals were about providing compassion and calories for clients who were near the end of their life. Today, we serve virtually the same number of people living with HIV/AIDS as when we opened our current building 12 years ago, but we also respond to the needs of adults and children living with cancer and other serious illnesses. Our clients have specific dietary needs as a result of their illness or treatments and may be managing several health problems at once.
“Our clients’ needs may look different than in the past.
They still have an acute need for our service, but also have complex additional
health issues. For instance, we know that folks with HIV are also at greater
risk for heart failure and diabetes than the general population. I think our
food has come a long way in addressing that complexity,” commented Carrie
Stoltzfus, MPH, Director of Program Services.
The meals we provide to our clients are not only essential
nourishment, but are carefully developed to improve health outcomes and overall
well-being. For example, we can now help those with difficulty chewing or
swallowing with a pureed or soft meal plan, or we can address their broader
health needs with a diabetic, renal, or heart healthy meal plan.
More broadly, our staff of registered dietitians and trained
chefs have worked together closely over the years to shift our meals and
grocery programs toward what’s commonly known as a Mediterranean Diet, focusing
on fresh vegetables, whole grains, healthy oils, and lean meats and seafood.
“While this shift incurs higher costs and more prep time in the kitchen, the benefits to our clients are undeniable,” said Executive Chef Mark Locraft. “We’re committed to cooking more healthy and tailored food for our clients to ensure their greatest chances for a long and healthful life.”
The 20 million meals that we’ve prepared in our kitchen have
only been possible through the work of tens of thousands of dedicated members
of the community, like you. As we continue to evolve as an organization, we
know that each and every meal has a direct impact on a client’s life.
Here’s to 20 million more!
