Food & Friends

Food & Friends helps people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses by providing free, home-delivered, freshly prepared meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling by licensed dietitians.

Why do we exist?

Food & Friends is a volunteer supported, regional nonprofit organization that meets the daily nutritional needs of people living with life-challenging illness, their families and caregivers in the Washington metropolitan area through the following three programs: Freshly-prepared meals, Groceries-to-Go, and Nutrition Education. Food & Friends is the only non-profit of its kind in the area.

Food & Friends was established in 1988 by volunteers in response to the devastating toll HIV and AIDS was taking on partners, friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors in Washington, DC. Volunteers began collecting food from area restaurants and delivering it to 20 homebound individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the city. In 1989 Food & Friends began preparing its own meals in the basement of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Southwest Washington, DC. In 1995 Food & Friends moved to a 12,000 square foot facility at 58 L Street, SE. In 2000, services were expanded to include other life-challenging illnesses.

In October 2004 Food & Friends moved into a new facility at 219 Riggs Road, NE.  This move to a permanent, larger home more than doubles the capacity of 58 L Street.  With this new facility, Food & Friends will be able to serve 3,000 clients.

What have you accomplished?

To date, Food & Friends has provided over 7.5 million meals to more than 10,000 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses in the Washington metropolitan area. Six days a week we deliver three meals a day to people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses.  Services are offered free of charge to anyone who has a qualifying illness and compromised nutritional status.  Monday through Saturday volunteers chop, cook, bag and deliver food to a 6,300 square mile area.  Volunteers are the backbone of this organization.  Over 1,000 volunteers and 40 staff members make sure that those who suffer from the pain, isolation and stress of a life-challenging illness have proper nutrition and don’t have to go at it alone.

	How do you help people in my community?		Why do you need my support?
	How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?		Can I Volunteer? How?