Addressing Barriers to Care: American Cancer Society Awards $50,000 Grant to Food & Friends to Support Cancer Patients and Their Families
Washington, DC (April 8, 2025) – Food & Friends, the Washington D.C. region’s leading provider of medically tailored meals for individuals living with life-challenging illnesses, is pleased to announce the receipt of a $50,000 grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS). This funding will directly support individuals battling cancer, ensuring they receive essential nutrition during their treatment journey.
Individuals living with cancer represent the highest share of clients Food & Friends supports through the medically tailored meals program. In 2024 alone, nearly 285,000 medically tailored meals were delivered to cancer clients in the region. With the American Cancer Society’s grant, Food & Friends will be able to provide medically tailored meals or medically tailored groceries to an additional 45 individuals living with cancer and an additional 28 caregivers and/or dependents. Clients will receive up to 18 freshly-prepared medically tailored meals or groceries every week for at least one month or four bags of medically tailored shelf stable pantry items, frozen protein (chicken, fish or turkey burger), plus fresh produce every two weeks for at least 30 days. The grant will also provide support for one of Food & Friends’ five registered dietitians to become board certified as a specialist in oncology nutrition through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Additionally, the grant will enhance Food & Friends’ meal program for cancer patients by providing nausea packets to help clients manage side effects from treatment.
“At Food & Friends, we are dedicated to ensuring that individuals living with cancer have access to the nutrition they need to navigate their treatment and recovery,” said Executive Director Carrie Stoltzfus. “This grant is a testament to the power of working hand-in-hand to create a stronger, healthier future for the most vulnerable in our community.”
American Cancer Society’s Addressing Barriers to Care program is designed to help community-based organizations tackle obstacles that patients face in accessing critical healthcare services. American Cancer Society recognizes the importance of nutrition as an essential component of cancer care and is committed to supporting initiatives that provide comprehensive, high-quality services to those who need them most.
“The fact remains that up to half of cancer patients report reduced ability to purchase food during and after treatment,” said Katherine Cwiek, Executive Principal, Patient Support Pillar American Cancer Society. “This year’s investment in Addressing Barriers to Care grant is exclusively focused on reducing the multiple negative impacts of food insecurity on cancer patients and families. We are proud that our funding helps effectively and sustainably reduce food insecurity during cancer.”
Food & Friends is incredibly grateful for the American Cancer Society’s partnership and support in helping to address some of the most critical barriers to care for cancer patients.
About Food & Friends
Food & Friends is the Washington region’s leading authority on “Food is Medicine” and the only community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals and medical nutrition therapy to neighbors living with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other serious illnesses. Food & Friends’ services are free of charge to recipients who qualify solely based on their health status and nutritional needs, including for their dependents and caregivers. Monday-Saturday, staff and volunteers deliver to 6,172 square miles including the District of Columbia, nine counties in Maryland, and seven counties and six independent cities in Virginia. Since 1988, Food & Friends has delivered more than 30 million meals to 50,000 individuals. The organization is accredited by the national Food is Medicine Coalition.
For more information, visit FoodAndFriends.org or on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Media Contact
Cameron Whitaker
Director of Communications
cwhitaker@foodandfriends.org
O: 202-269-6875; C: 281-635-7418