Food & Friends
Medically tailored meal delivery and nutrition counseling service.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | N/A | Grant | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Food & Friends is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization that provides home-delivered, medically tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition counseling to individuals with life-challenging illnesses. The organization was founded in 1988 by Reverend Carla Gorrell and leaders of Westminster Presbyterian Church, initially to serve people living with AIDS. It was incorporated as a nonprofit in May 1989.
The organization operates on a non-profit model, providing its services free of charge to eligible clients. Funding is sourced from individual donors, state and local governments, and corporate sponsorships. The services are for individuals living with illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, end-stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, and others that limit their ability to provide nourishment for themselves. Eligibility is based on medical need, not income, and requires a referral from a healthcare provider. The service area covers a 6,172-square-mile radius of the Washington metropolitan area, including parts of Maryland and Virginia.
The core service consists of preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries designed to meet the specific medical and dietary needs of each client. Food & Friends' professional chefs and registered dietitians collaborate to create 11 different specialized meal plans, including options like vegetarian, diabetic, heart-healthy, and renal. In addition to meals for the primary client, the organization also provides food for their dependents and caregivers. Beyond meal delivery, the organization offers nutrition counseling and wellness education to enhance clients' quality of life and reduce the social isolation that can accompany serious illness. Since its founding, Food & Friends has delivered over 30 million meals.
Keywords: medically tailored meals, nutrition counseling, food as medicine, home meal delivery, chronic illness support, Washington D.C. non-profit, volunteer-based, community health, HIV/AIDS services, cancer patient support, food security, dietitian services, specialized diets, groceries delivery, health and wellness, community nutrition, food is medicine coalition