Statements
Mission
We nourish the bodies, minds, and hearts of those facing cancer through the power of healthy meals and nutrition education.
Background
In November of 2010, Mike Heimerdinger was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He began undergoing traditional treatments, including chemotherapy, immediately following his diagnosis. He sought to find answers by making changes to his diet and lifestyle. Then, when faced with the news that traditional treatments were not working, it led him to clinics that approached cancer using different therapies. These clinics treated cancer with a whole-?body approach by using nutrition, supplements, and alternative treatments along with the chemotherapy. Although he ultimately lost his battle in September of 2011, the information we gained throughout this journey has opened our eyes to the benefits of healthy living and the options that are available to treat this dreaded disease. In an effort to honor Mike's life, to help raise awareness about cancer treatment options, and to promote healthier lifestyles, we have formed a non-profit organization in his name. It is our dream to have the opportunity to give back to the community he so loved. Part of our vision is to educate the Nashville community about proper nutrition and healthy meal options, and to provide nutrient-rich meals to patients fighting cancer during a time when eating right can make all the difference. To do so, we have created our Meals 4 Health & Healing program, with the help of the Ceres Community Project of Sonoma County, California. Working side-by-side in the kitchen, both teen and adult volunteers and professional chefs prepare nutritious meals. The food is then delivered free of charge to the clients and their families.
Impact
Community Impact Report
The Heimerdinger Foundation's Meals 4 Health and Healing Program serves anyone in active cancer treatment and their caregivers in Davidson and Williamson counties regardless of income. Every week, we provide up to 1,000 nutrient-dense servings to approximately 110 cancer patients and their caregivers. Since 2013, we have provided over 225,000 immune-boosting, nutrient-dense servings to over 3,000 people in 31 zip codes in Middle Tennessee. We prepare and deliver eight weekly nutrient-dense meals (organic vegetables, grains, proteins, and nutritious soups to strengthen the immune system) to each client for up to six months. We serve only organic foods because it is the healthiest, most pure food we can offer. Each week, a crew of adult and teen volunteers busily prepares the meals for delivery. In 2023, volunteers donated over 8,073 hours of their time in the kitchen, Giving Garden, or delivering meals which is a value of $256,737.30.
A critical pillar of our program is teaching others about good nutrition and the philosophy that food is medicine - particularly our volunteer teens who learn cooking skills, where nutrient-dense food comes from, leadership skills, and the importance of giving back to the community.
We partner with many community organizations including Ascension Saint Thomas, Vanderbilt, Sarah Cannon, and Tennessee Oncology and work closely with nurse navigators, oncologists, and social workers to bring people into our program and to inform our community of our services. We also have partnerships with Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University to incorporate dietetic interns into our program. We work closely with local farms and CSAs to procure fresh vegetables and sustainably sourced protein.
Each Meals 4 Health and Healing client is on our program for up to 24 weeks. Our clients are 65% European/ non-Hispanic, 21% African American, 5 % Hispanic, 1% Middle Eastern, and 1% are Asian. Fifty-one percent of our clients report their income $45,999 and below; of that, 13% report an income $10,000 and below.
To evaluate the success of our Meals 4 Health and Healing Program and the promotion of a plant-forward diet, our clients complete pre- and post-program surveys. This data provides the baseline from which we work with each client. The results of our post surveys as tabulated for 2021 show a 38.6% increase in energy during treatment, and a 28% decrease in clients feeling alone in their illness by the program's end.
The Post-Program Surveys also reflect:
* 46% of clients increased their vegetable consumption.
* 44% of clients increased their fruit consumption.
* 31% of clients increased their whole grains consumption.
* 47% of clients increased their gluten-free grains consumption.
* 54% of clients increased their fish consumption.
We have found that 35% of our clients worry about having enough food before they are able to purchase more and 30% report that the food they purchased didn't last and they weren't able to purchase more. Due to COVID-19, 26% of our clients report barriers to grocery stores due to transportation, too costly, too tired, doctor orders, or fear of exposure to the virus. Now more than ever, Meals 4 Health and Healing is an essential program in our community.
Research shows that nearly 80% of cancer patients end up malnourished as a result of cancer treatment. The diagnosis of a serious illness like cancer often serves as a catalyst to change lifestyle habits, such as rethinking the food we eat. Through giving hearts and hands, our food is medicine mission wraps a caring community around people and their caregivers during one of the hardest journeys of their lives. This is a time when eating right can make all the difference in countering cancer treatment side effects, improving treatment outcomes, and healing. We believe the nutrition support for everyone in the household is critical.
Needs
1. Funding to grow program, deepen reach, and help more clients 2. Committed Board members - Fundraising, Communications/PR, Events, Marketing
CEO Statement
Our organization fills a unique niche. There is no other organization in Middle Tennessee that is similar to our mission. Our singular focus on serving organic food, and nutritious and delicious meals, to people just when they need it the most allows us to focus on a specialized, and vital, mission. We not only serve our clients healing foods, but we do so with loving, humble hearts. We feel blessed to be allowed to be a part of our clients' inner circle and work tirelessly to help lift their spirits as well as help heal their bodies. Our caring community of support is continually reaching more people in our community and promoting a growing awareness that 'food is medicine'.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Health Care - Health Support |
| Secondary Category: | Youth Development - |
| Tertiary Category: | Food, Agriculture & Nutrition - Nutrition |
Areas Served
The Heimerdinger Foundation Meals 4 Health & Healing program serves the Davidson and Williamson county communities in Tennessee.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Williamson |
