Making an Impact: One Volunteer Goes Above and Beyond to Care for a Client

By Craig Shniderman, Executive Director, Food & Friends

This past weekend while I was checking my email, I found an unusual and particularly heartwarming message. Our Client Services Manager reported on an out of the ordinary encounter between a client and volunteer delivery person. One of our clients, a 91 years old woman in hospice care, received her regular Saturday delivery from Daniel, a regular volunteer. What was unusual about this delivery was that Daniel found the client in distress and took it upon himself to ensure her well-being. He contacted the client’s family member and the hospice provider, as well as Food & Friends staff, to alert them of the situation. Working together, our teams made sure to quickly get the appropriate care to the client.

I found this quite remarkable because our volunteers’ responsibility is limited to simply delivering the food. But like many others here, Daniel has developed a personal relationship with several of the clients to whom he delivers. After Daniel completed the rest of his delivery route on Saturday, he went back to the client’s house to make sure she was receiving the help she needed. She lives in the District, so this was not particularly convenient for Daniel, who lives in Arlington.  His attachment to this client and his sense of responsibility compelled him to go this extra step.

I called Daniel on Saturday after I heard this story from Rachel and had a wonderful conversation with him. I learned that Daniel and his wife Elisa became volunteers at Food & Friends 22 years ago and have remained interested in the organization ever since. They lived away from the Washington area for a while, but when they returned, Daniel told me that one of the first things they did was to reestablish a volunteer relationship with Food & Friends. 

When people ask what about Food & Friends is different than other food delivery programs, we generally talk about the specialty diets and nutritional counseling that we provide to all of our clients. But one of the things that really sets us apart beyond this is the degree of engagement by many of our volunteers. 

We recently surveyed our volunteers, and one of the striking revelations is the extent to which our volunteers are invested in our clients and wanted to grow those relationships. Many expressed a desire to interact more with clients, or simply know more about how the clients are faring. One way we have responded to these requests is to introduce a pilot volunteer delivery program called “Delivery Jumpers.” These volunteers will accompany our staff drivers on their delivery routes and assist with bringing the meals door to door. It will be a great opportunity for volunteers who are looking to interact with clients, but may not be able or comfortable with delivering on their own. It will also a boon for our drivers who will benefit from the extra help. 

The value of the Food & Friends experience comes not just from the food, but from the impactful relationships that so often develop between the volunteer and client. This commitment to excellence is something that we often talk about in terms of staff responsibilities and interactions with clients, but we also see this exemplary compassion in volunteers like Daniel and Elisa.

Food & Friends Receives $350,000 Multi-Year Grant From Carefirst

We are proud to announce that Food & Friends was awarded a $350,000, three-year grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) to provide home-delivered groceries, including fresh produce, non-perishables, frozen soups and entrees to clients in its Groceries-to-Go program. In addition to supporting the Groceries-to-Go program, the funds will be used to leverage matching support from the community.

The grant will support the delivery of 2,069,000 meals and 50,900 bags of produce to 3,400 critically ill clients over a three-year period. A significant part of this grant is to help Food & Friends improve the nutritional composition of its Groceries-to-Go offerings by providing fresh produce, olive oil, fish and whole grains to its clients.

“For those who are ill and often living with limited mobility, it can be nearly impossible to obtain fresh produce and other nutrition staples,” says Craig Shniderman, executive director of Food & Friends. “Our partnership with CareFirst will help us continue to raise the nutritional component of our services, fill the void left by ‘food deserts’, and help clients prevent and treat serious health conditions. We greatly appreciate the sustained interest demonstrated by CareFirst in helping Food & Friends meet the needs of critically ill residents in Greater Washington.”

Since 2006, Food & Friends has received nearly $900,000 in grants from CareFirst to support nutrition programming for critically ill residents in the region.

"In addition to CareFirst's larger mission of increasing access to quality, affordable health care services, CareFirst is committed to supporting programs and initiatives that foster healthy communities," said Maria Tildon, CareFirst's Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs." Part of this support includes funding for programs targeting obesity rates and the chronic diseases associated with obesity. Through Groceries-to-Go, Food & Friends is not only going into our communities to meet a basic need, it also is encouraging individuals and families to adopt healthy lifestyles and good eating habits."

CareFirst has long been known to collaborate with the community to advance healthcare effectiveness and quality. An additional purpose of this grant is to provide Groceries-to-Go clients a chance to take charge of their overall health and nutrition by enrolling in free cooking classes led by a Registered Dietitian and hosted at Food & Friends. The classes will teach participants and their families and caregivers to prepare healthy meals from the food provided by Food & Friends and help to increase their understanding of how to maintain a healthy diet.

THANK YOU NBC4 Bike Team for Riding for Our Clients

On Sunday, members of the NBC4 family rode 34 miles - from Roosevelt Island to Mt. Vernon and back - to support those in our community facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses.

The NBC4 riders, including NBC4 president and general manager Jackie Bradford, anchors Doreen Gentzler and Wendy Rieger, and reporter Steve Handelsman, braved the heat and raised more than $14,500 to support our mission. It was a reunion ride of sorts for the NBC4 bike team that participated in the AIDSRides from 1996 to 2002. 

"NBC4 was instrumental in putting Food & Friends “on the map” at a time when we were less known. Your station’s abiding interest in our work is proof that television journalism can stick with an important story over a long period of time. We’re vastly larger today than when we were founded but still live every day with a sense of gratitude for of our opportunity to serve. Our greatest opportunities are just down the road and around the next curve. Every day is an adventure."

-Craig Shniderman, Executive Director

At Food & Friends, we’re on a journey to create a community caring for those living with life-challenging illnesses. Thank you NBC4 - your support and compassion keep us moving forward.

The Other Face of Hunger: A Closer Look at the Impact Illness has on the District’s Hungry

More often than not, when people think about food insecurity they assume that it is a result of an individual’s financial situation. This September, the USDA reported that an estimated 14.5 percent of American households were food insecure for at least some time during 2012. This means that 17.6 million American households lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members.

Food & Friends will deliver more than 1 million meals this
year to children and adults living with critical illnesses.

While socio-economic status contributes greatly to the issue of food insecurity, there is another face of hunger contributing to the alarming statistics—individuals who, as result of an existing medical condition, are unable to access the food they need. 

At Food & Friends, we know that food security, including specialized nutrition, is a key component in battling illness and managing the side effects of medications and harsh treatments. As a city that leads the country in AIDS cases per capita and also has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the country, it is crucial for those living with critical illness to have access to healthy food options. Even more alarming is the American Cancer Society’s assessment that approximately one-third of cancer deaths each year are related to factors such as poor nutrition and physical activity, and are possibly preventable.

To compound the health challenges that many face, full-service grocery stores are spread unevenly across the District and many Washingtonians live in "food deserts" with limited access to fresh produce and other nutritious staples. For those who are critically ill, it can be nearly impossible to obtain these resources making home-delivered service the only option. Food & Friends is the only organization in the region offering this service and is committed to providing hunger relief by eliminating complicated meal planning, exhaustive preparation and expense as a worry for clients.

To illuminate the need we face—over the past ten years, the demand for our services has grown by more than 45%. While 70% of our clients are living below the poverty line, it is important to note that regardless of their financial situation, 100% of our clients are served as a result of their illness and its impact on their health and access to nutritious meals.

Take, for example, Mary, who suffers from breast cancer and obesity. These illnesses make it very difficult for her to go grocery shopping and prepare her own meals. Because of her medical condition, it was determined that she would benefit from being on a diabetic meal plan. Simply put, the diabetic meal plan works to keep blood sugar levels under control, thus reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke. This meal plan is one of 11 that give clients access to the specialized nutrition needed to manage illness while easing the burden of daily living complicated by serious illness.

Approximately 30% of our clients receive the diabetic or heart-healthy meal plans. These meals, created by our chefs and registered dietitians, seek to provide tasty, healthy food that will improve client health outcomes: 

Diabetic Meal Plan: The diabetic meal plan focuses primarily on whole grains, which are known to help reduce the impact excessive consumption of refined sugars can have on the body. It also focuses on fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Clients also receive nutrition education from registered dietitians on how to manage their diabetes, such as healthy snacking and the importance of portion control.

Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: This meal plan limits saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol by eliminating beef, pork, veal and cheeses in all meals. Limited desserts are also a focal point as well as packing in as many fruits and vegetables as possible.

Thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation, 185,000 of these diabetic and heart-healthy meals are making their way into the homes of over 400 of our clients. While many people know the retail giant for their support of hunger relief, what many people do not know about is their commitment to providing healthier food that can help families live healthier lives. As a result of their support for our nutrition-based meals we have been able to make a significant impact in the community for more than 25 years. And, with continued support from organizations like these, we will able to ensure that healthy, nutritious meals make their way into the homes of all of our neighbors who need them most.

Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.











Janell Walker, RD, LDN, Assistant Director of Program Services is a registered dietitian and has been with Food & Friends for more than 4 years. She is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park and a native of the DC metropolitan area. Janell enjoys cooking, dancing and educating people about the importance of food and nutrition. Learn more about Food & Friends' nutrition services.

8 Years After Hurricane Katrina

Each of us who works in HIV/AIDS services knows that the history of the epidemic is one of cooperation among individuals and organizations committed to this work.

Executive Director Craig Shniderman and a New Orleans
resident who relocated to Washington, DC.

An example is seen in the NO/AIDS Task Force, New Orleans. After their facility, including the kitchen from which meals were prepared for persons living with HIV/AIDS, was destroyed in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina, NO/AIDS began a long process of restoring operations. Add to this, the storm required many thousands of residents to quickly relocate to other communities, including Washington, DC.

In early September 2005, hundreds of New Orleans evacuees were relocated to the DC Armory on short notice. Food & Friends was among the organizations called on by the city to provide emergency food to those without homes or resources in our area. Temporarily stepping beyond our mission, we were proud to be among Washington organizations that could do the right thing and do so quickly.

NO/AIDS Task Force needed to raise funds for restoration of their facility. At the June 2006 Chef’s Best Dinner & Auction, we raised funds for the NO/AIDS kitchen restoration. That night, thanks to our generous donors, we were proud to present a $20,000 contribution to Noel Twilbeck, NO/AIDS Executive Director. Next month, NO/AIDS will dedicate its new kitchen so as to continue service to residents of their community. It will be a wonderful day! I am looking forward to volunteering in their new kitchen on September 12th and will be posting photos on Facebook and Twitter.

In these and other ways, we joined with sister organizations to assist New Orleans residents and especially those living with HIV/AIDS. No one should ever go at it alone in the face of illness or in the face of catastrophe. Our mission is to serve Greater Washington but our broader commitment is always to the battle against AIDS.


Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.

Innovative Strategies "Spring" Up to Support Our Work

Spring is here, and while that means more beautiful weather and blooms around the Washington area, it also means fewer donations for our area’s hungry. While the need is year-round, unfortunately the donations are not. Unlike the cherry blossoms, charitable donations bloom best in December. That’s why we rely on innovative fundraising campaigns and partnerships with generous foundations and corporate neighbors more than ever during the spring months.

One of our campaigns this spring was the 17th Annual Dining Out for Life® on Thursday, April 25th. Dining Out for Life® asks people to simply go out to lunch and/or dinner at more than 100 local restaurants which have committed to donate 25-110% of their proceeds to Food & Friends. With just a meal out, people across the D.C. region help us ensure that thousands of children and adults facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses receive the daily nutritious meals so vital to their care.

We are also working with many generous corporate partners around the region. Partners like Walmart, whose foundation recently awarded Food & Friends a $50,000 grant from their State Giving Program. Walmart is joining us again in May when we host our 23rd Annual Chef’s Best Dinner & Auction presented by the NACDS Foundation to celebrate Food & Friends’ 25th anniversary. The event will bring together many of our partners to help home-deliver more than one million nutritious meals to our critically ill neighbors.

We depend on the support of partners like Walmart to keep our programs vibrant throughout the year. The partnership between Walmart and Food & Friends stretches back to 2004, and we are looking forward to continuing it for years to come.

This partnership is a good example of an often overlooked effect of business on the community as a whole. Corporate giving is a major part of the donations that many local non-profits, including Food & Friends, need to serve the community year-round. When you consider the effect of major companies coming to our region, I would ask that we all consider the positive impact that these businesses have on local nonprofits. We thrive on the generous donations and fruitful partnerships that these businesses are able to provide.

At a time of the year when donations from our wonderful individual donors is less robust than the cherry blossoms, creative programs and partnerships with corporate neighbors enables Food & Friends to keep providing meals to those in need. These are the kinds of partnerships that our community needs.



Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.

Food as Medicine

There is no disagreement as to the “virtue” of providing medically necessitated meals to our clients. The kindness, the neighborliness, and the helpfulness to these children and adults is unquestioned. However, more and more, funders are asking: “Is the cost of providing medical care reduced for individuals who receive home-delivered meals and nutrition services?” As the country continues to become even more focused on healthcare expenses, the concern about saving public and private dollars has become more prevalent.

I want to share with you two recent studies that suggest there are reductions in healthcare costs among critically ill patients and seniors who receive home-delivered nutrition.

Our colleagues at MANNA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provide services very similar to those we offer. A pilot study, “Food as Medicine: Reducing Health Care Costs with Comprehensive Medical Nutrition Therapy,” conducted from 2010-2012 by MANNA, suggests that there is a meaningful reduction in healthcare costs for those who receive home-delivered meals as compared to comparable patients who did not.

Here are just a few of their findings:

• MANNA clients were over 20% more likely to be released from the hospital to home rather than to long-term care or health care facility.
• Average monthly health care costs of MANNA clients fell 62% for three consecutive months after beginning service.
• Monthly inpatient hospital costs of clients were 30% lower over the six months following initiation of services as compared to the six months prior to starting MANNA.
• For HIV/AIDS patients, costs fell over 80% in the first three months.
• When MANNA clients needed hospitalization, their improved nutritional status resulted in reducing the average number of monthly visits to half that of the comparison group and their length of stay for inpatient visits was 37% shorter.

Another study conducted at Brown University was published in December 2012 in Health Services Research (“The Relationship between Older Americans Act Title III State Expenditures and Prevalence of Low-Care Nursing Home Residents”). The findings suggest where there are greater public expenditures for home-delivered nutrition, there is a reduction in the frequency of providing nursing home care.

Here are a couple of their findings:

• States that have invested in their community-based service networks, particularly home-delivered meal programs, have proportionally fewer low-care nursing home residents.
• For every $25 per year per older adult above the national average that states spend on home-delivered meals, they could reduce their percentage of low-care nursing home residents compared to the national average by 1%.

These studies give us the opportunity to make a more statistical case for support. Both shed much needed light on the impact of our services not only as they pertain to the health of our clients but on the benefits our services provide to the entire community. Our services and services similar to ours are not only an expression of human concern, it is the exercise of prudent expenditures with a good return on the dollar.

I will continue to update you as more compelling information comes out about the impact of our services. Until then, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on these studies and the impact you feel our services make in the community. Comment or share your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

Always your friend,

Craig Shniderman
Executive Director


Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.

You Couldn’t Be Stopped by a Hurricane

Food & Friends has weathered many storms over 24 years. Blizzards, hurricanes, we’ve seen it all. This week we continued the proud tradition of caring for our clients despite dramatically challenging conditions.

On Monday, we delivered more than 6,000 complete meals, double the usual delivery, covering more than 5,300 square miles of Greater Washington.

I would like to thank our volunteers. More than 100 volunteers responded to our urgent request for delivery drivers. These great people especially are the heart of Food & Friends. Time and time again, we say, “We couldn't do this without our volunteers.” Absolute proof of this was demonstrated this week as volunteers, experienced and brand new, set aside personal considerations to care for their neighbors. That is quite a message of compassion.

On Sunday evening, we activated an emergency plan designed in advance of the storm to ensure that both Monday and Tuesday’s food was delivered by 2:30pm on Monday. Whatever our usual work, everyone became a member of the kitchen or delivery team. Consequently, we were able to keep volunteers and staff at home on Tuesday with no loss of service to our clients. I might add that we were also prepared to deal with an extended power loss had this occurred.

Today, we've returned to normal operations and will provide more than 3,000 meals to our clients. Just another day at the office.

But here’s the thing. This isn't the last bad weather that we’ll see this year or in early 2013. We’ll need you again during extreme weather as well as every day. I know that you’ll be there and I thank you in advance for answering our call.

With sincere appreciation,

Craig Shniderman
Executive Director

Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.

Hurricane Sandy Won't Stop Us!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF THAT RESPONDED TO OUR URGENT CALL FOR LAST-MINUTE VOLUNTEERS.

WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!

Watch Food & Friends In Action

We are very excited to share our new video with you. Watch and pass it on!







Thank you to Mercury for the pro-bono production of this video.

Expanding Services in Shady Grove

Food & Friends has served Montgomery County for many years. Last year, we provided about 115,000 meals to 344 residents.

We know that many more people are in need of Food & Friends’ services and we always have our eye on how to care for more children and adults. The fastest population growth in Montgomery County is outside the Beltway. We’ve been looking at this and have decided we should further expand our care to patients served by Shady Grove Adventist Hospital located in Rockville, Maryland.

Shady Grove is a big facility and has expanded its programs in recent years serving the rapidly growing upcounty and outside the Beltway residents. The Hospital includes a growing Comprehensive Cancer Program which will increase the number of referrals we receive from Shady Grove. We expect to add about 100 Shady Grove patients plus family members during 2013 providing these clients with 55,000 meals as well as nutrition counseling.

While Montgomery County, taken altogether, is relatively affluent, this is not true for most of the residents we care for. Fifty-seven percent of our County clients have household incomes of less than $2,000 a month. In Montgomery County, as elsewhere, we know that low-income residents often face difficult choices in meeting basic needs for nutritious food versus obtaining medical care and otherwise live on very tight budgets.

Our intention is to increasingly care for a broad range of our neighbors facing critical health challenges without limitation as to specific illnesses. In no way will we diminish our services to patients living with HIV/AIDS in Montgomery County or anywhere in Greater Washington.

All of this is important because after almost 25 years, Food & Friends remains the sole provider of home-delivered and medically-oriented nutrition services. Understanding that this work rests on us alone, we must always be working to provide for more residents. Just as we are attentive to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the individuals and families facing a range of profound illnesses count on us.

We have great working relationships with health professionals in the Montgomery County Government and with many other suburban referral partners. We’re looking forward to this expansion. I might add that Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett is supportive of our work. We are hopeful that the State of Maryland will soon increase our funding so as to partner with us in this and other expanded service in Maryland.

In subsequent blogs, I’ll share with you some of our plans for other jurisdictions. You can count on Food & Friends to continue our expansion so as to reach a growing number of critically-ill residents –our neighbors.

Always your friend,

Craig Shniderman
Executive Director



Craig Shniderman has led Food & Friends as the Executive Director since April 1995. He is a native of the Washington area and has lived and worked in Greater Washington for almost his entire career.

It's Been a Rough Road for Our Clients and Our Vans

Recently, some of our clients were expecting to receive their meals, but the delivery driver didn't arrive.

It wasn't because the meals hadn't been prepared, or that the driver forgot them when he loaded the van, it was because the van broke down due to the wear and tear of traveling 135 miles a day over the last 10 years.

Thankfully, a staff member was able to deliver the meals later that day but I'm not sure about the next time. Your gift today can help add a new van to our fleet.

Our 7-person delivery team drives 1,356 miles a day. Today, we have four vans in need of repairs which means fewer vehicles on the road providing clients with the food they need to manage their illness.

Your gift is urgently needed to help cover the $55,360 purchase of a new refrigerated van and ensure meal deliveries to all of those who need and rely on our service.

Now, here is the good news; a generous donor has agreed to match contributions for a new van with a gift of $25,000.

So, I really need your help. Your steadfast commitment means that when the call comes from whoever is in need we are ready to make the next delivery. I’m counting on you. But most importantly, so are our clients.

Together, we can make a difference,

Craig Shniderman
Executive Director, Food & Friends

P.S. Please donate today to help purchase a much-needed refrigerated van and to help provide specialized meals to those in our community living with life-challenging illnesses. Please don’t wait to have your gift matched! I can’t stress enough how much your support can help.

A Chat with Our Friend, Councilmember Muriel Bowser

Sunday, August 5th is National Friendship Day and there is no better friend to the community than District of Columbia Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4). Councilmember Bowser is not a remote presence in the Wilson Building but is involved constantly in the life and needs of her constituents –her neighbors. She is also a solid friend of Food & Friends and is a regular Thanksgiving volunteer. Ward 4 is just across the street from our building and Food & Friends is proud to serve Ms. Bowser’s ward and every ward in the District of Columbia.

We asked Councilmember Bowser to share with us her views on this neighborhood, her work and her commitment to Food & Friends.

Councilmember Muriel Bowser with
Food & Friends Board Member Anne Shimabukuro
packing Thanksgiving meals.
Source: Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Bowser

What inspired you to run for public office in DC and what do you hope to accomplish as a member of the DC Council? 

I was raised in a family rich with civic mindedness. My dad was a longtime ANC commissioner, but both of my parents really instilled the idea of public service. I followed my dad’s footsteps and ran for commissioner in ANC 4B09 in my home neighborhood of Lamond Riggs. I received my Bachelors of Arts degree in History from Chatham College and my Master’s degree in Public Policy from American University here in DC. I strive every day to provide strong service to the 80,000 residents of Ward 4 and pride myself on always being connected. 

As a steadfast supporter of Food & Friends, what attracted you to our mission?

Food & Friends does vitally needed work for its clients. I really shudder to think how the District’s critically ill residents would survive without the services provided by Food & Friends and your impressive and always dedicated cadre of volunteers. Yes, we do share a neighborhood, but more importantly, we share a commitment to helping those in need.

You have spent the last few Thanksgivings volunteering with us. What is that experience like?

Short of being with my family on Thanksgiving, nothing warms my heart more than to be involved in helping ready Thanksgiving dinners for Food & Friends clients and seeing your volunteers, old and new.  There is such a close bond among those assembled and a genuine camaraderie between people who quite likely are meeting for the first time.

What is your advice for people who want to get involved in the DC community but don’t know how?

What a good question. First and foremost, I believe it’s important to know who you want to help and how.  Thank god for the internet and social media. Both make the task of finding out who needs help so much easier. And then here in DC in every Ward, regular monthly meetings occur on matters involving public safety (PSA and CAC meetings) as well as on topics of general community concern (ANC and Civic/Community Association meetings). Go to one of these meetings. You’ll quickly meet regular attendees and learn of ways you can become more involved.

We are proud to work and serve in the Fort Totten neighborhood. As a leader in the development of this neighborhood, what would you like to see happen here over the next five years?

I am proud of the ever changing landscape of the Fort Totten and Lamond Riggs Neighborhoods and have been pleased to help shepherd the soon to be finished transportation infrastructure improvements at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE. I look forward to a day in the not too distant future when land that formerly housed the Tiger Mart shopping center will be a hub of new retail, dining and housing options for current and hopefully many new residents. Food & Friends location at this intersection, in my eyes, can only win more and more awareness as a result of this change in landscape.

A Step in the Right Direction: Food & Friends Supports Those Fighting Breast Cancer

When I think of our commitment to clients living with breast cancer, I first think of our beginning as an AIDS service organization. Food & Friends was founded twenty-four years ago as a response to the needs of men and women battling AIDS. Too often, they were alone. Too often, their needs were unmet. Too often, the community looked away. We began with AIDS. Twelve years ago, we served our first clients living with breast cancer and ten years ago, we participated in our first Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Food & Friends staff member, Pam Giller, and
Executive Director, Craig Shniderman accept
gift from Avon Foundation during 2012 Walk.

The Avon Foundation has been a dedicated supporter of Food & Friends. In 2001, they made it possible for us to create the Pink Ribbon Delivery Program. This year, thanks to their generosity, Food & Friends will deliver 178,000 specialized meals to nearly 500 women living with breast cancer and their loved ones.

Everyone has a personal reason for participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. It may be a sister, mother, brother or even yourself. This Saturday, I’ll do my tenth walk in support of our work supporting the nutritional needs of survivors and future survivors. When we are all out walking together, we are walking toward the same goal. Those affected by this disease are not alone because Food & Friends will never look away and we will never neglect to serve these men and women and those who care about them. It is our legacy and our future all wrapped together.

Ivanna Beat Breast Cancer
(aka. Craig Shniderman) cheering on
Avon Walkers

We are very proud to be a beneficiary of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and we look forward to greeting the walkers along the route. Food & Friends staff and volunteers will be handing out stickers and our famous chocolate chip cookies on Saturday and Sunday,and our kitchen will be providing an incredible lunch on Sunday afternoon.

I will be attending the walk on Saturday as my alter-ego, Miss Ivanna Beat Breast Cancer. The picture should be enough of an explanation. Be sure to come say hi!

See you on the road!!

Craig Shniderman
Executive Director