February is National Heart Month!

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 370,000 deaths per year. February is National Heart Month and now, more than ever, people are turning to their diet to improve their health. The American Heart Association together with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Health has identified 7 of the leading health factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke, known as, “Life’s Simple 7.”

• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Poor diet
• Overweight/obesity
• Elevated cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Poor blood sugar control/Diabetes

A heart healthy diet, known as the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to decrease blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol levels and decrease the incidence of heart attack and stroke. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
• Replacing butter with healthy fats like olive and avocado oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
• Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
• Enjoying meals with family and friends
• Drinking red wine in moderation
• Getting plenty of exercise

At Food & Friends, our regular and therapeutic diets are modeled after the Mediterranean diet and provide our clients with the heart healthy nutrition they need to thrive. We provide our clients with a variety of plant foods, whole-grain breads, cereal and pasta, a variety of herbs and spices to flavor their food, heart healthy fats and lean proteins like fish and poultry. Small changes every day can have a big impact in the life and health of you and your loved ones!


Sources
1. Healthy Lifestyle: Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801?pg=2
2. Heart Disease, Stroke and Research Statistics at a Glance. American Heart Association. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_480086.pdf

Healing with Family: Chef Matt Steiner Says Food & Friends Helped His Stroke Recovery

Chef Matt Steiner walks back and forth at a brisk pace through the kitchen and Expediting (the area where meals are packaged and prepared for home delivery). It’s been a busy day at Food & Friends and he’s wrapping up the last of the day’s volunteers.

Anyone who sees him today would have no idea that, just five years ago, Matt was re-learning how to walk and regain many of his motor skills after a major stroke.

Chef Matt Steiner in the Food & Friends kitchen

“In June of 2011, I had a major stroke,” said Matt. “I had to have open heart surgery and I had a large part of the muscle from my right leg removed. Between the surgeries and physical therapy, I was in the hospital for about six to seven weeks. I also found out during this time that I’m HIV-positive.”

Matt had to start over on a number of fronts. He had to learn to walk again. He couldn’t drive. His speech and other motor skills were impaired.

“I still have a slight stutter,” said Matt. “It’s not as bad here. I’m more comfortable speaking here so it doesn’t bother me as much.”

As part of his recovery, Matt decided to be a volunteer chef at Food & Friends.

“My mom found Food & Friends,” said Matt. “It was her idea to volunteer here to get me out of the house and be more active. If it hadn’t been for her, I would probably be a client of Food & Friends today.”

Matt started on Friday shifts with his mom and his daughter. The short shifts he started with allowed him to walk around and rehabilitate his leg. He also found a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere that would help to quicken his recovery.

“It really is like a family here,” said Matt. “I knew, working as a chef in other places, that I would never find this atmosphere anywhere else. Everyone, from the staff to the volunteers, is so friendly and supportive. And there is much less stress here than I’ve found working in restaurants. It really was ideal for me.”

Matt was hired as on-call chef in September of 2014. One year later, he was hired full time. But this job means more to him than just a paycheck.

“I would do this job even without pay,” said Matt. “Doing what I do means a lot to me. I have friends who are clients and friends who are volunteers so I take this job personally.”

It’s been a long road to recovery for Matt. And he credits Food & Friends with helping him recover faster.

“My recovery would have been a lot slower without Food & Friends,” said Matt. “Being here, getting to walk around a lot, interacting with different people and different personalities, and how nice everyone is – that made a big difference in my recovery.”

Abbe Levin: Hammin' It Up on Thanksgiving

With a background in theater, it’s no surprise that Abbe Levin is a bit of a ham. Or should we say turkey. For the past several Thanksgivings, she has brought joy to our clients by delivering meals while wearing her signature turkey hat.

Delivering meals “is a beautiful way to spend the holiday,” says Abbe. “People are so genuinely happy to see you and share in the joy of the day. I think of it as reaching out to friends I haven’t met yet.”

A native Washingtonian, Abbe first began delivering meals while working in New York City as an actor. Working with nonprofit organizations such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (a funder of Food & Friends) and God's Love We Deliver, she packed meals into her car to take to older adults, people with HIV/AIDS and others living with chronic illnesses.

Twelve years ago, Abbe moved back to the D.C. to help care for her aging parents, Chuck and Marge Levin, and manage Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center – the family business they founded in 1958. After both parents passed away, she found herself with free time to volunteer on holidays. That is when she connected with Food & Friends, offering to deliver meals over the winter holidays.

“I love doing the food delivery,” says Abbe, who in recent years has been joined by her colleague from the music store, Gloria Williams. “There’s something very calming, very comforting in delivering meals on Thanksgiving,” she says, pointing out that it puts her in a good mood going into the frenzy of Black Friday.

Abbe credits her parents with instilling in their children a philanthropic spirit and genuine compassion for others. “They were the kind of people I aspire to be,” she says.

So was her brother, Robert, who passed away suddenly two years ago at the age of 55 after a short illness. She still remembers the profound statement he made at the end of his life: “I’m so lucky,” she recalls him saying. “I have people to care for me. But what happens to th
ose who aren’t so lucky? What do they do?”

Abbe thinks about that every time she delivers a meal. “Thank goodness for organizations like Food & Friends, who step in and help until a cure is found – or just until…” she says in a voice filled with compassion.

PIE DAY 2015: Stop by Farragut Square on 11/4 for a Bite

FREE LUNCH TIME PIE TASTING FOR A GREAT CAUSE!
Food & Friends to Hold Pie Day in Support of Slice of Life
Wednesday, November 4, 2015

WHAT
Food & Friends will be hosting a community Pie Day in support of its annual Slice of Life Pie Selling Campaign, which funds nutritious, home-delivered meals and groceries to the critically ill in our community, on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at Farragut Square. During the event, Food & Friends will be distributing information about Slice of Life and giving away FREE samples of our delicious pies!

Community members will also have the chance to cast their vote for Apple Pie vs. Pumpkin Pie! The winning pie of our "In Pie We Crust" election will go on a flash sale for the remainder of the afternoon. Everyone who votes will be entered into a drawing to win a full Thanksgiving dinner for five plus two pies that are for sale to raise funds to support Food & Friends mission.

WHEN
Wednesday, November 4th from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

WHERE
Farragut Square, K St. and 17th St. NW, Washington, DC

DETAILS
The 9th Annual Slice of Life Thanksgiving pie sale is a simple and delicious way for members of the public to support Food & Friends’ large-scale effort to deliver 1 million healthy meals this year to those in the community living with life-challenging illnesses. The goal this year is to sell 9,000 pies. Each pie purchased will provide ONE FULL DAY of meals for a Food & Friends client.

Pies may be purchased directly from Food & Friends or through one of our corporate or individual pie sellers. Visit www.foodandfriends.org/pie or text PIE to 51555 to find a directory of pie sellers, to sign up to help sell pies or to purchase pies online. Pie sales close on Thursday, November 19th. Pre-purchased pies can be picked up on Tuesday, November 24th at Food & Friends or more than 30 convenient CVS/pharmacy locations throughout the region.

WHO
The entire downtown DC community is invited to spend their lunch break tasting and voting for their favorite pie!

Living with HIV/AIDS: 30 Thanksgivings Later, Anthony Has Much to Be Grateful For

This month, Anthony Seymore celebrates his 30th Thanksgiving since being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and given six months to live. He credits Food & Friends’ home-delivered meals with helping him get to this day.

“I need to eat certain foods to stay alive,” he says. “I contacted other organizations, but there were waiting lists and red tape. At Food & Friends, I know what I’m getting and know that it’s good for me – and that gives me peace of mind.”

From his home in Arlington, Virginia, Anthony reflects on that moment three decades ago when a physician delivered the news to the then 25-year-old. “In those days, an HIV/AIDS diagnosis was considered a death sentence,” he says. His family doctor wasn’t helpful. “He told me to go home and pray,” Anthony recalls.

Six months and a day after he got the news, his mother called him. “You’re still alive,” she said.” You’re going to be alright.” With encouragement from his parents, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in business administration before moving from Richmond to the Washington area. In the District, he worked for 10 years at the U.S Department of the Interior before taking on a series of jobs with national retailers.

The past 30 years have included a number of health challenges, including diabetes, pneumocystis pneumonia (an infection common in people with weakened immune systems) and a ruptured heart valve.

Yet, throughout the years, Food & Friends has been there with home-delivered meals when he needed them. He marvels at how the meals have changed over the years, just as our understanding of nutrition has evolved. In the early days of the disease “the focus was on putting muscle and fat on you, so you wouldn’t waste away,” he says. Originally referred to Food & Friends in the late 1980s by the staff of Whitman-Walker, Anthony recalls deliveries of cheeseburgers, club sandwiches, and fruit juice.

Today, clients are referred to Food & Friends by their physicians for customized meals – designed by registered dietitians and professional chefs – that are both nutritionally balanced and tasty. In Anthony’s case, the meals are heart-healthy and created to address his diabetes. He is especially fond of the chicken with green beans and seafood platter.

Then there’s Thanksgiving dinner – Anthony’s favorite meal going back to his childhood. The Food & Friends delivery brings back fond memories of holidays spent at his grandmother’s – with its roast turkey, collard greens, sweet potatoes and apple pie. The only thing missing, he confesses, is the chitlins. (His doctor has given him permission to add them to the table. But only once a year!)

WATCH: Handmade Pies Baked Just for You!

The world has tried to simplify baking. You can buy a roll of cookie dough, make brownies and cakes from a box, and pies can be whipped up by dumping canned filling into pre-made crust.
These shortcuts are never used at Baguette Republic, an artisan-bakery located in Sterling, Virginia. We are fortunate and excited to have Baguette Republic baking their homemade pies for our Slice of Life pie sale again this Thanksgiving.

Made from the Best

Master Baker and President of Baguette Republic Dahmane Bernarbane is originally from Algeria. He bakes using European techniques and traditions. “We try to do everything the old fashioned way, using the best ingredients.” Bernarbane says.

All five of the pies available this year begin with a crust the bakers make from scratch, prepared by skilled workers, not just machines. Each crust is rolled out, cut and pressed in a pan by hand and the fillings are made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Despite the volume of products the bakery makes daily, each creation is made with care and attention to detail.

“There are no preservatives ... no cans. It’s like a pie made by your grandma seventy years ago.” Bernarbane promises.

Be Part of the Cause

Buying one delicious pie can make a huge difference. The purchase of just one pie through Slice of Life is enough to deliver one full day of meals to a Food & Friends client and help to provide a Thanksgiving meal for five. You can be sure that any pie you order through Slice of Life will reflect the love and care put into making it.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure for us to be part of this big Food & Friends adventure by serving the best goods to the Washington DC community. I’m sure you’re going to like it,” Bernarbane says, “because I like it myself.”

Welcome Deborah Peeples: New Chief Development Officer

We are thrilled to announce that Deborah Peeples will join the Food & Friends staff on September 1st as our new Chief Development Officer. Deborah will be an important leader of our development team and instrumental in helping to build greater capacity to meet the growing demand for Food & Friends in our community.

Deborah is a results-oriented, creative fundraiser with a proven record helping nonprofit organizations transform their fundraising programs and increase revenue. Deborah has helped national, regional and local nonprofit organizations with capital campaigns, development assessments, annual fund planning, and Board development. In 2008, Deborah was selected as the Outstanding Fund Raising Professional of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Metro DC chapter.

Deborah is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology/English at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and her Masters of Arts in Student Personnel Services also at the University of Florida. Deborah was the Vice President, Philanthropy at the Humane Society of the United States, the Executive Director of Iona, a Washington, D.C. non-profit agency serving seniors; President of the Capital Hospice Foundation in Falls Church, and Director of Major and Planned Giving at WETA TV/FM. Additionally, Deborah has experience as an independent fundraising consultant. Deborah is active nationally in advancing the field of development through conference leadership and other professional engagements.

Food & Friends Raises Close to $1.1 Million at the 25th Anniversary Chef’s Best

On Monday, June 15th, 50 of the area’s best chefs served tastings of their signature plates in the ballroom of the Marriott Marquis to raise money for Food & Friends. The chefs were participating in our 25th Anniversary Chef’s Best Dinner & Auction Presented by Friendship Hospital
 for Animals. We proudly honored the Marriott family, Marriott International and The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation during the event.

 

Chef’s Best was in a new home this year, the stunning Marquis Ballroom at the brand new Marriott Marquis. 

During the VIP Reception, Board President Mike Bento recognized partners that have supported Food & Friends for over a decade. Peter Glassman, Director of Friendship Hospital for Animals and Debbie Marriott Harrison, Global Officer, Marriott Culture and Business Councils for Marriott International were recognized for their numerous contributions over the years. Also honored was David Hagedorn who started Chef’s Best 25 years ago and helped to build it into one of the best nights of philanthropy in Washington, DC. 

Supporters gave in various ways including a Live Auction with once-in-a-lifetime experiences and trips. Highlights included a trip to Cuba which sold to three different bidders for $10,500 each, a cooking class and lunch with Chef Patrick O’Connell at the Inn at Little Washington which sold for $11,000 and a home-made dinner for 8 by Food & Friends’ Executive Chef which sold for $5,700. An appeal was made to the audience to support Food & Friends’ clients – current and new – facing diabetes. Guests at Chef’s Best gave generously and more than $76,000 was collected.

Celebrity Chef Co-Chair, Jeff Black of Black Restaurant Group, took the stage to thank attendees and make a special announcement. He told a story of visiting Food & Friends’ facility and being so taken with the operation that he asked a simple question; “What would it take for me to pay for the food in this place for one day?” He got the answer and at last night’s event, Jeff Black, with his family and their foundation, donated $35,000 to fund one full day of meals for Food & Friends’ clients.

All proceeds from Chef’s Best will ensure the delivery of specialized meals and personalized nutrition counseling to Food & Friends’ clients living with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses. This year, supporters will help provide more than 1 million meals to more than 2,700 individuals in Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland. Food & Friends depends on the support of corporations, foundations and individuals and is grateful for the sponsors who have contributed to Chef’s Best.

Thank You Bank of America!

Bank of America Charitable Foundation has awarded $25,000 to Food & Friends to address the urgent hunger and nutritional needs of those in the community living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. The grant will support our Freshly-Prepared Meals and Groceries-to-Go Programs that home-deliver specialized and nutritious meals to the critically ill in the DC Metro Region. Bank of America’s contribution provided over 3,500 meals to our clients today, March 26th. Additionally, Bank of American employees volunteered on this day to help prepare and package the meals.

As a funder with a vision to support the local community, the impact of funding from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to support those living with critical illnesses cannot be overstated. More than 80 percent of Food & Friends’ clients live at or below the poverty line; for them, the meals Food & Friends provides not only offer vital nutrition but also financial relief from the many costly burdens of living with serious illness.

“Food & Friends works tirelessly to help alleviate hunger for those who need it most throughout our community,” said Jeff Wood, Greater Washington market president, Bank of America. “With health and nutrition intricately linked, this support will enable Food & Friends to provide vital access to quality food for those living with HIV/AIDs, and we hope it will be one step further on the road to health.”

“For people living with critical illnesses, our high-quality, specialized and home-delivered meals are a low-cost intervention that assures better health outcomes, independence and an improved quality of life for those we serve,” says Food & Friends Executive Director Craig Shniderman. “It is because of the efforts of Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation that we are able to make such a difference in the lives of so many local residents in need of proper nutrition.”

Modern Day Superwoman - Your Support Gives Denise Strength, Energy and Hope

Denise’s reality is one that can only compare to a modern day superhero. Her story is rare, and leaves most of us questioning, “How does she do it?”

"It was helpful at least to know
that my kids had something."

In 2010, after purchasing a home, Denise became sick. To make matters worse, she lost her job that August. By October of 2010, Denise was diagnosed with a blood disease that required her to undergo harsh chemotherapy treatments.

Eventually, her pricey doctor appointments soon replaced her budget for groceries, forcing Denise to rely on a limited amount of food stamps. With four children, graduate school courses, frequent hospital visits and a lack of income, food was a major hurdle in Denise’s life. In time, the southern-style meals that Denise loved to cook for her kids slowly stopped making their way to the dinner table. Her daughter, a teenager at the time, became her nurse and prepared meals to ensure her mother received adequate nutrition.

“At the time, I couldn’t be out around other people,” says Denise. “I had to send my kids to the grocery store and they weren’t used to getting food on their own.”

With the help of a social worker at Georgetown Medical Center, Denise was connected to Food & Friends after she began chemotherapy.

“Between 2010 and 2011, I was in the hospital for at least 10 months. But Food & Friends really helped me because I wasn’t home. It was helpful at least to know that my kids had something.”

For the past four years, Food & Friends has come to Denise’s aid during times when she needed it most. She recalls the volunteers who she says are always in good spirits – they kept her smiling and hopeful throughout her struggle.

Now that she is recovering slowly, Denise is getting back into the kitchen where she says “southern food with a kick” is her specialty. With groceries no longer being an obstacle, Denise enjoys preparing food for her kids, even if it simply involves heating up a Food & Friends dinner. 

Four years after her diagnosis, Denise is becoming reacquainted with her neighborhood. The mother of four is now searching for a new job, still attending Catholic University, and even takes cooking classes at Food & Friends’ facility. With the help of our frequent meal deliveries, Denise continues to inspire us with her phenomenal story.

How much food can you buy with $4?

"I go to a lot of doctors…”

…says Food & Friends client Tricia Hope Ripley.
Since a serious motorcycle accident in 1971, Tricia has had more than 100 surgeries. In 2011, her doctor recommended Food & Friends as a leg amputation, liver problems, and pain from her surgeries made it hard for Tricia to get to the grocery store for the nutrition she needed.

But it’s the sense of community Food & Friends has given to Tricia that makes the biggest difference in her life. She considers Food & Friends part of her extended family - we provide the support system and sense of hope that keeps her moving.

“Now I have much more of a life to look forward to...”

Before Food & Friends, her food stamps had been cut down to $4 a month – too little for Tricia to buy healthy food. Her blood sugar was hard to control, and she was often hungry and bedridden. The nutritious meals Food & Friends provides keep her blood sugar steady, prevent her from going hungry, and help her be more active.

Today, Tricia is working on a book about her journey, and planning other positive changes for her life. Watch our video profile of Tricia and learn more about her. 

We’re proud to bring hope to Tricia and clients like her as we have done since 1988. Please join us in Making Hope Happen so we can continue to deliver nutritious meals and smiling faces to neighbors in need for another 25 years.

Delivering Hope to Hope this Thanksgiving

On the wall of Tricia Hope Ripley’s home, she has a calendar to keep track of her busy schedule. The calendar dawns several red marks which indicate her doctor’s appointments.

These appointments are nothing new for Tricia.

Tricia: "With Food & Friends, I know
they’re going to do what they say."

In 1971, Tricia’s life changed drastically when she was in a motorcycle accident. After the crash, she went through 22 operations which led to multiple complications, including a leg amputation. To make matters worse, she developed a potentially fatal liver disease. Tasks such as grocery shopping and preparing meals became difficult as she lives by herself and is restricted to a wheelchair.

In 2011, Tricia began receiving Food & Friends’ home-delivered, nutritious meals. Before then, she didn’t eat much and was only going to the grocery store once a month. She explains that Food & Friends changed the way she views and accesses healthy food: “It’s wonderful because my blood sugar is always stabilized.”

Food & Friends has delivered so much more than food to Tricia – our services have given her a new sense of hope. “I was literally in bed for almost five years…living and dying,” says Tricia. “Now I have much more of a life to look forward to.”

This November, Tricia looks forward to our annual Thanksgiving meal delivery. Last year, she was able to feed herself and four others – she hosted her caretaker, who she hopes to adopt next year, and her soon to be grandchildren.

“She didn’t have any money for Thanksgiving last year and they showed up here. I was in bed recovering and we had a Thanksgiving dinner,” says Tricia. “They wouldn’t have had anything.”

Perhaps even more than the meals, Tricia loves her relationships with the volunteers. After two years with Food & Friends, Tricia considers the volunteers members of her extended family.

Tricia is restricted to a wheelchair and depends on
Food & Friends' meals for her daily nutrition.

“There were many days I felt like giving up, but then one of the volunteers would show up. Since I’m homebound for so much of my life, it makes me feel like I have a family. And I love that. It makes me feel like they’re involved in my life.”

These new additions to the family have done so much as they share stories about their kids, ask for advice on anniversary gifts, recap a Supremes concert and deliver Ripley emergency water when her apartment complex faced a shutoff. Food & Friends has created a community of people that Tricia can depend on during her fight with illness.

“I haven’t had food many days. I haven’t had people to do what they say they would do,” Tricia says. “With Food & Friends, I know they’re going to do what they say.”

Your Annual Report is Available

We are proud to share Food & Friends’ 2012 Annual Report.

Our annual report highlights the work that your support made possible. Thanks to you, our critically ill neighbors received good service, healthy and delicious meals, specialized attention and a compassionate support network – all important ingredients in our Recipe for Hope.

But remember…we’ve been cooking up this same recipe since our founding in 1988.

This recipe has had a profound impact on the lives of our clients. Last year, with your help and the hard work of more than 14,000 volunteers, we delivered nutritious meals to more than 2,900 ailing neighbors, no longer able to shop or cook for themselves. Today, Food & Friends remains the only home-visiting nutrition service in the DC Metropolitan Region that delivers hope by the meal – specialized, fresh and delicious.

This year, we’re celebrating our 25th Anniversary of caring for the community. While we have seen remarkable changes since our founding, the one constant has been our simple goal of providing nutritious meals to our neighbors fighting illness. Thanks to your unwavering support, we have maintained this tradition that began with our founders.

In 25 years, we’ve delivered more than 16.4 million meals to the doorsteps of 23,400 people – quite an accomplishment for an organization that started in the basement of a church by a small group of dedicated volunteers. We may never know the full impact of our work on the lives of these individuals and their families, but we do know that we were there during one of the most challenging times in their lives, thanks to you.

You are the special ingredient in our Recipe for Hope. Please take a moment to read about what you helped accomplish, remember those we have lost, and applaud yourself for extending a healing hand.

Many lives have been changed because of your compassion for others, and we are honored to be serving on your behalf.

Craig Shniderman

Executive Director

Erik Hower

President, Board of Directors