Program areas at Food & Friends
In fy 2022, Food & Friends staff and more than 2,900 volunteers prepared, packaged, and home-delivered more than 1,590,000 medically tailored meals to over 4,800 adults and children living with hiv/aids, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses. Food & Friends staff and volunteers also provided meals for the caregivers and dependents of the clients it serves, who are often the providers for their families and can't perform the activities of daily living. Food & Friends' freshly prepared, life-sustaining meals are designed by professional chefs and dietitians and delivered free of charge to recipients thanks to caring donors, funding from state and local governments, and corporate sponsorships.
In fy 2022, Food & Friends' community dietitians worked one-on-one with seriously ill clients to provide them with medical nutrition therapy, providing: 1,559 nutrition assessments to Food & Friends' clients living with life-challenging illnesses. This nutrition counseling typically includes a professional evaluation of a client's health status, a diet analysis, and in-depth medical nutrition therapy tailored to each client's needs. These services are also free of charge to recipients, and in tandem with Food & Friends' meal deliveries, reduce social isolation, improve mental health, and create supportive human bonds. Food & Friends cultivates relationships and facilitates a caring community that surrounds its clients in order to provide a positive impact.