You Changed Thousands of Lives in 2012

Your support has provided hope for thousands of people like Geraldine (pictured), who spends her day caring for her mother, Ruby, who is facing Alzheimer's.

Ruby (left) and her daughter Geraldine

Thanks to your generosity in 2012, we:

• Home-delivered nearly 1.2 million healthy, customized meals to more than 2,900 children and adults facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses.
• Hosted more than 12,000 volunteers who worked alongside our staff to prepare, package and deliver 3,500 meals every day.
• Re-evaluated and updated our client eligibility guidelines. As individuals with HIV/AIDS live longer, they are facing secondary illnesses complicated by their status; our revised guidelines take each prospective client's overall health status and needs into account.
• Expanded our services in Maryland to serve more individuals with cancer and their families. Thanks to our partnership with Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, we will serve an additional 50,000 meals in Montgomery County next year.

This year, we will celebrate our 25th Anniversary of caring for the community. And, as long as HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses threaten our community, we will be here, thanks to you.

On behalf of the men, women and children who were served and will be served through your generosity, thank you for your support and Happy New Year!

More than Food & Friends, but Family

Your Support Helped Two Sisters Celebrate Life Despite Cancer.

A cancer diagnosis can have a profound effect on a person, especially when it’s your sister who is diagnosed. When a family member faces cancer, other family members often take on new responsibilities while coping with the added stress. Nothing prepared Barbara Ramundo for the journey she would take as she became the primary caregiver for her sister Sue, who battled pancreatic cancer last year.

In addition to working full-time, Barbara helped Sue with her medications, doctor’s appointments, laundry, grocery shopping, bills, her dog, cooking and an abundance of household chores. Barbara wanted to be there for her sister but these new responsibilities quickly became overwhelming.

When friends asked what they could do, Barbara always requested a homecooked meal. “I do not think people realize how much of a difference one meal makes,” says Barbara. Barbara was thankful for the large support network she had but soon realized that there is only so much her friends could do. “We were lucky to have support from loved ones but they can’t be there for you all the time.” So she decided to look for additional support – for her sister, herself and the rest of her family.

Within a few days of talking with Sue’s doctor about Food & Friends, they began receiving home-delivered meals. These fresh, healthy meals made Barbara and Sue’s days more manageable and less stressful.

“People take for granted how much time and effort goes into thinking about and cooking food,” says Barbara. “Food & Friends changed our lives.”

Food & Friends’ services not only alleviated stress but allowed Barbara to spend more quality time with her loving, funny and hardworking sister.

A few weeks before Sue passed away, Food & Friends delivered a decorated cake to celebrate her 61st birthday. “We were able to celebrate her life in those last days,” expresses Barbara. “Little things like a cooked meal and cake made the end of her life better and added a level of comfort to our lives.”

“We miss her humor a lot,” says Barbara. “Having these meals delivered to us gave me time to cherish the last moments with her instead of worrying about the daily stress of life.”