Food & Friends Make a Difference in Patients’ Lives

For patients with life-challenging illnesses, handling everyday chores becomes difficult. As health deteriorates, these patients sometimes find it almost impossible to care for themselves or to perform routine tasks like buying groceries and preparing meals. Since 1988, Food & Friends has supported the terminally ill community by preparing and delivering meals throughout the District of Columbia and surrounding areas. Reaching as far north as Gaithersburg and as far south as Alexandria, Food & Friends covers 5,346 square miles for its clients.

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Based on referrals only, after clients have been accepted into the program they are guaranteed fresh and flavorful meals that meet dietary restrictions ranging from gluten-free to vegetarian. With over one million meals delivered in 2015 alone, the program is predominately run by dedicated volunteers. Though 10,000 volunteers assist throughout the year, a core group shows up at least once a week, a few every day. “It’s really the volunteers that keep this place running smoothly,” says the staff.

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Run by a team of culinary chefs that all have stellar backgrounds, clients are provided with meals that are delicious and nutritious. On our scheduled day we prepared salmon cakes with Chef Alana and a core volunteer named Will. Think it’s easy? Mixing salmon, rice, and spices for 800+ meals in a short time span illustrates the dedication and efficiency of the Food & Friends team.

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This Thursday, April 28th, 2016, the organization will host Dining Out For Life along with some of D.C.’s most celebrated restaurants in which 25 to 110 percent of all proceeds will be donated. Click here for a list of participants. Can’t make lunch or dinner that day? No problem! You can donate to the cause through Food & Friends’ online campaign. With a day left and halfway to the goal, there’s no better time to help. However, it takes more than one day to keep over 84,000 meals being delivered monthly. So get up, get out, and lend a helping hand.

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Food & Friends
219 Riggs Road NE
Washington, DC 20011

info@foodandfriends.org

About Jai Williams (11 Articles)
Jai Williams is a writer and photographer whose work has appeared on the award-winning site, Woman Around Town, Thrillist, The Daily Meal and Edible DC to name a few. Two of her photographs were selected for an exhibit at the Washington Historical Society, "For the Record: Artfully Historic D.C.", where “50 Most Endangered Places in D.C.” were highlighted. Her photographs can be seen in two books from Globe Pequot Press, "Discovering Vintage Washington, D.C." and "New York One-Food Wonders: A Guide to the Big Apple's Unique Single-Food Spots." After graduating from Texas A&M University, Jai moved to Virginia to further her education as well as her career. Visit her website https://www.januarijaimedia.com.