The Heimerdinger Foundation
Programs
Budget
$8,165.00
Description
Meals 4 Health & Healing provides whole food, organic, nutritious meals free of charge to cancer patients undergoing treatments in Williamson and Davidson Counties. The meals are prepared by volunteer mentor chefs and local teens and delivered free of charge to clients once a week. The program seeks to build a caring community by providing a valued service to those with a life-threatening disease. Clients and adult and teen volunteers are provided with education about the health benefits of whole foods. Teen chefs learn about healthier food options, basic cooking skills, gardening, and leadership as well as help provide a valued service in the community by simply preparing meals for cancer patients.
Program Successes
Our goals are to increase energy levels and lessen side effects of treatment, improve awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet, and increase the daily intake of healthy foods. The results of our post surveys as tabulated for 2021 show a 38.6% increase in energy during treatment, and a 28% a 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.
Category
Human Services - Human Services, General/Other
Beneficiaries
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
People/Families of People with Cancer
Long-term Success
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 serve approximately 700 nutrient-dense meals to over 70 cancer patients and their caregivers. Since 2013, we have served over 137,000 immune-boosting, nutrient-dense servings to over 1,700 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 eat. Each week, with a crew of adult and teen volunteers, we prepare over 700 meals for delivery. In 2021, volunteers donated over 6,800 hours of time in the kitchen, Giving Garden, or delivering meals.
Short-term Success
A critical pillar of our program is teaching others about good nutrition and the philosophy that is food is medicine - particularly volunteer teens who learn cooking skills, where food comes from, leadership skills, and the importance of giving back to the 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 and paves the way for improved nutrition choices in the future.
Program Success Monitored By
In order for us to evaluate the success of our Meals 4 Health and Healing Program, our clients complete pre- and post-program surveys. The Pre-Program Survey provides us with information about health indicators such as the level of energy and side effects the client is experiencing, their views of the importance of a healthy diet, and information about their current diet. This data provides the baseline from which we work with each client. The Post-Program Survey asks the same questions regarding physical and emotional well-being and diet.
Program Areas Served
None
$8,165.00
Description
Meals 4 Health & Healing provides whole food, organic, nutritious meals free of charge to cancer patients undergoing treatments in Williamson and Davidson Counties. The meals are prepared by volunteer mentor chefs and local teens and delivered free of charge to clients once a week. The program seeks to build a caring community by providing a valued service to those with a life-threatening disease. Clients and adult and teen volunteers are provided with education about the health benefits of whole foods. Teen chefs learn about healthier food options, basic cooking skills, gardening, and leadership as well as help provide a valued service in the community by simply preparing meals for cancer patients.
Program Successes
Our goals are to increase energy levels and lessen side effects of treatment, improve awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet, and increase the daily intake of healthy foods. The results of our post surveys as tabulated for 2021 show a 38.6% increase in energy during treatment, and a 28% a 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.
Category
Human Services - Human Services, General/Other
Beneficiaries
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
People/Families of People with Cancer
Long-term Success
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 serve approximately 700 nutrient-dense meals to over 70 cancer patients and their caregivers. Since 2013, we have served over 137,000 immune-boosting, nutrient-dense servings to over 1,700 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 eat. Each week, with a crew of adult and teen volunteers, we prepare over 700 meals for delivery. In 2021, volunteers donated over 6,800 hours of time in the kitchen, Giving Garden, or delivering meals.
Short-term Success
A critical pillar of our program is teaching others about good nutrition and the philosophy that is food is medicine - particularly volunteer teens who learn cooking skills, where food comes from, leadership skills, and the importance of giving back to the 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 and paves the way for improved nutrition choices in the future.
Program Success Monitored By
In order for us to evaluate the success of our Meals 4 Health and Healing Program, our clients complete pre- and post-program surveys. The Pre-Program Survey provides us with information about health indicators such as the level of energy and side effects the client is experiencing, their views of the importance of a healthy diet, and information about their current diet. This data provides the baseline from which we work with each client. The Post-Program Survey asks the same questions regarding physical and emotional well-being and diet.
Program Areas Served
None
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| Meals 4 Health & Healing has been prepping and cooking organic, nutrient-rich meals two days a week at Calvary United Methodist Church in Green Hills for six years. We are looking for a commercial kitchen that we can use 4-5 days a week to expand and to grow the number of clients we serve each week and to increase our nutrition education and classes. Presently, we are serving a maximum of approximately 100 clients (cancer patients/their caregivers) per week and serving up to 800 meals each week as a 'part-time' program. We are looking in the Nashville area to possibly split time between two kitchens or to find one location that would allow the program to expand to a full-time program. Meals 4 Health & Healing has added an after-school program and a summer teen camp program -- 'teen chefs in training' after the first of the year to reach more teens; to provide them with education about healthier eating, basic cooking skills, teamwork, leadership skills, and community service; and to provide a job skill they can use when they finish school. |
