ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Recipe for HOPE Recipe for HOPE 25 Years | 16 Million Meals | 1 Mission For more than 25 years, we have worked with the community to provide nutritious meals and support to those living with critical illnesses. Through our network of thousands of donors, volunteers, partners and advocates, we have fed more than 23,400 individuals in need since 1988. With your help, we’re able to continue providing our sick neighbors with good service, delicious meals, specialized nutrition and a compassionate support network—all important to our Recipe for Hope. But YOU are the special ingredient that makes this all possible—your commitment to our mission is critical. Each time you perform an act of kindness, you allow us to multiply that kindness over and again in the lives of thousands. We are sincerely grateful for your compassion and for joining many others in a common purpose: providing home-delivered, life-sustaining nutrition to our neighbors in need. Thank you FOR MAKING OUR WORK POSSIBLE! 1 WE START WITH Good Service For those of us who have cancer “ and don’t have the support of somebody living with us who can feed us every day, this program saves our lives.” Deborah, client living with Lymphoma 2 More than | 108,300 | Home Visits Made Per Year We help clients be as healthy as possible as they fight for their lives. Seriously ill people often lack the strength, resources and skills to plan, shop for and prepare the food they need. So that’s what you help us do—deliver freshly-prepared meals and wholesome groceries right to their door. From our kitchen to our clients’ tables, breakfast, lunch and dinner are prepared, packaged and home-delivered Monday through Saturday, year round. New clients are sent to us by one of more than 100 referral partners. They then receive a home-visit and nutrition assessment by one of our registered dietitians. These conversations lead to a specialized meal plan, regular deliveries and ongoing support. 3,588 6,912 2,900+ Meals Prepared and Delivered Nutrition Contacts Children and Adults Served Each Day Made Per Year Each Year Baked Pollock Fish with Dill Sauce Black Bean Ragout with Turnip Greens For those of us who have cancer “ and don’t have the support of somebody living with us who can feed us every day, “ this program saves our lives. 3 Deborah, client living with lymphoma PAUL’SPaul’ sSTORY STORY I am supposed to eat food with all my medications. “ “ By having healthier options, I can eat better and take medicine with each meal. It is good for me. Paul, client living with HIV Before Food & Friends’ frequent meal deliveries, Paul’s cabinets were bare. The lack of healthy food options posed a huge risk to his well-being—not only was he losing weight but it was difficult for him to take his antiretroviral medicine on an empty stomach. Thanks to your support, we’ve been delivering nutritious meals to Paul for three years—including his favorite, chicken alfredo. These meals help Paul maintain a healthy weight and consistently adhere to his treatment guidelines. 4 ILLNESSES OUR CLIENTS FACE 43% | 38% | 16% Cancer HIV/AIDS Other Diseases (ALS, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, among others ) WHO WE SERVE 70% | 87% | 13% Live Below the Poverty Line Adults Children 5 MIXHealthy ININ & Delicious FOOD Healthy AND Delicious Food Food & Friends is the only home-visiting nutrition service that delivers hope by the meal. We stress variety and flavor in every meal because appetites tend to be suppressed by illness and medications, and even the best food is only good when eaten. Thank you for delivering the nourishing and tasty meals our clients need to fight illness and lead healthy, productive lives. Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with Sweet Peas Specialized | Fresh | Delicious Our goal is to provide meals based on “ sound nutrition recommendations, tailored to meet the specific needs of clients as best as possible. We make it very easy for clients to switch between our“ eleven meal plans, which can also be combined to provide the greatest flexibility. Janell Walker, RD, LDN, Assistant Director of Program Services 6 | 11 Meal Plans | SPECIALIZED MEALS ARE OUR SPECIALTY Good nutrition is critical in helping clients feel better, manage their illness and cope with the side effects from harsh treatments and medications. Your support allows us to offer 11 specialized meal plans which are based on nutrition need. OUR MEAL PLANS REGULAR PUREED DIABETIC HOMELESS RENAL NO DAIRY HEART HEALTHY GASTROINTESTINAL SOFT VEGETARIAN NO FISH FRIENDLY HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW WE ADAPT OUR MEAL PLANS REGULAR PLAN Veal Marsala with Cheese Veal Marsala with Stuffed Whole Wheat Noodles Cheese Stuffed Whole and Spinach Wheat Noodles and Spinach HEART HEALTHY For those with diseases of the gallbladder, pancreas, heart, RENAL PLAN or living with obesity For those with reduced kidney function NO DAIRY PLAN For those with intolerance to dairy Chicken Cutlet with Marsala Sauce, Whole Wheat Noodles Veal Cutlet with Marsala Sauce, and Spinach Egg Noodles and Zucchini - Low in cholesterol and - Low in phosphorus and potassium saturated fat - Replaces spinach with zucchini, - Eliminates cheese egg noodles for wheat noodles Veal Marsala, Whole Wheat - Replaces veal with chicken Noodles and Spinach 7 - Eliminates all dairy products DEBRA’SDebra ’STORYs STORY When Debra was diagnosed with sciatica, a disability causing extreme pain and numb- ness in the legs, she worried about how she would care for her two teenagers. Being a single mom living in a house with three flights of stairs, buying and cooking meals became extremely challenging. Debra never dreamed she would need assistance cooking meals for her family; she had always been healthy enough to provide for herself, her son and her daughter. When they received their first meal delivery from Food & Friends, they were shocked at the variety and the quality of meals. You add immensely to a person’s life when you bring the gift “ “ of food…. The food gives people hope and keeps them alive. Debra, client living with sciatica 8 ZAK’S STORY ZAK’SZak ’STORYs STORY In early 2012, Zak started having difficulty keeping food down. After losing 100 pounds, his doctor told him he had stomach cancer. Zak had to undergo lifesaving surgery where his entire stomach was re- moved along with the five associated lymph nodes. He left the hospital on a prescribed diet of baby food and with a suggestion to contact Food & Friends. Zak met with one of our registered dietitians and with- in 48 hours was receiving tasty puréed dishes. Miraculously, Zak has moved to a soft-food diet, has gained weight and is slowly regaining his strength. Zak is now healthy enough to exercise and take his dog Stefani on walks. Pureed meals are delivered to those with an inability to chew or break down food. Since beginning my food delivery, I have “Sinceprogressed beginning from my a food pureed delivery, food dietI have to a “ progressedsoft food fromdiet. Therea pureed have food been diet days to athat softthe food Food diet. & Friends There have meals been were days the that only “ thefood Food in &the Friends house. meals Food were & Friends the only has “ foodmore in the than house. lived Foodup to &my Friends expectations. has more than Zak, lived client up living to my with expectations. stomach cancer 9 Zak, client living with stomach cancer SEASON WITH A Compassionate Support Network We work because thousands throughout our country—individuals, families, corporations, schools, faith-based organizations and more—give time to support their neighbors in need. We welcomed more than 14,500 volunteers last year who served in the kitchen, on the road, in the office and at events. VOLUNTEERS 14,500 | 48% | 52% | 75,000+ Volunteers Serve Youth Adults Hours Donated Each Year Yearly by our Volunteers 10 Dan Connors is just one of the thousands of volunteers who donated their time to Food & Friends. His commitment to help- ing others has encouraged more people to get involved in our mission of delivering healthy meals to our sick neighbors. As the continuation of my family tradition, I am so satisfied that I “ found a location to share the time I might squander. It has become a source of great memories and humility with fellow workers. But most of all, I learned a few hours of my life can really change lives. “ You do not know how lucky you are and how much you can help until you realize you are this recipient’s connection to healing. Dan Connors, volunteer 11 AND TOP IT OFF WITH A Special Ingredient: YOU! Our work is made possible through donor support, $5,000+ Michael Argerbright Ruwan and Cici Arseculeratne Anonymous (2) something we’ve counted on since 1988. As the David and Deborah Astrove Larry Anthony and Ron Mueller need for our services has increased, so has your The Preston G. and Nancy M. Athey Anna and Erich Baumgartner Fund response to meet that need. We continue our work Drs. Richard and Rachel Becker Mr. David Austin and Dr. David David A. Berg and Betsy A. Layne Bronat because we care about our sick neighbors and David I. Bower Mr. and Mrs. Leonard J. Baxt believe that they have the right to nutritious meals Deborah Bowles and Derik Burgess Richard Bernstein and Michael Carol J. Bresler and Carolyn Minnemann and other essential support. We know you share A. Billinghurst Thomas P. Biesiadny that commitment. Edward Bresler Howard Brooks Steven G. Cline and Christopher Kevin Brown Bolcik James Bulman Pat and Kevin Cornell John C.