Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! In recognition of this month, we want to remind our clients that you are not alone. One way that Food & Friends works to promote overall wellness is through our Client Social Hours. These virtual gatherings serve as a space for clients to connect with members of our Client Services and Nutrition Services teams, as well as with fellow clients.
Our team hosts Social Hours quarterly via Zoom. Whether you’re looking for ways to become more involved in the Food & Friends community or would just like to participate in some uplifting conversation, our Client Social Hours are here for you. Our most recent Client Social Hour took place on May 12th. Stay tuned for future dates to be announced!
Join the New Client Advisory Board
Food & Friends is excited to announce the upcoming launch of our new Client Advisory Board, and we’re currently searching for clients interested in getting involved! The board will provide ongoing opportunities for clients to voice their insights, advocate for their needs, and shape the future of the organization. Our goal is to provide a platform for clients to share their unique perspectives and participate in the decision-making processes that go into our programs to help ensure that we are meeting the needs of the communities we are dedicated to serving. Interested clients should contact Absa Fall, Client Relations Coordinator, at afall@foodandfriends.org.
Fruit Deliveries
Beginning May 12th, fruit deliveries included with our medically tailored meals will be slightly reduced. Clients that receive our 18-meal and 12-meal bags will begin receiving nine items in the included fruit bag (e.g., three oranges, apples, and pears OR three oranges, three apples, and one bag of baby carrots). Clients who receive our 6-meal bags will begin receiving three to four items (e.g., two apples and two pears OR two apples and one bag of baby carrots). As a reminder, please wash all fruit before eating. If you have any questions, please contact one of our registered dietitians.
Client Survey Highlights
Our annual client survey results are in! Food & Friends administers this survey each year with a focus on measuring client satisfaction, client-reported health outcomes, connection with food resources, nutrition counseling, and reasons why clients would opt to end their delivery and nutrition services. The surveys were administered electronically using the Qualtrics platform. They were sent to clients via email and/or text in both English and Spanish. Clients had the option to request a print copy as needed.
Thank you to all of the clients who participated in this year’s survey! Food & Friends is committed to serving our clients’ needs, and the survey is one of the many ways that we work to improve the client experience.
Click here to see highlights from the 2024 Client Survey.
Client Corner
The Food & Friends website now includes our updated “Client Corner” page! The Client Corner serves as a one-stop shop for clients to reference updated menus, check on delivery procedures, find important contact information, access required paperwork, and find answers to common questions. Check out the site HERE.
We’re actively looking for ways to improve our site to better fit our clients’ needs. If you have any suggestions for additional information and resources you would like included in the Client Corner, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Client Services team. Clients can email clients@foodandfriends.org with suggestions or reach out directly to a member of the Client Services team.
Facebook
Join our Client Facebook Group today to see important delivery schedule updates, information about upcoming events and resources, menu changes, and more. The group is your space to connect with our Client Services Team, Nutrition Team, and fellow clients.
To join, follow the link HERE.
Your Nutrition Team
Our team of registered dietitians has published a series of educational resources on our website, available for all clients! Interested clients can try cooking a new dish with the “Nutrition in the Kitchen” video series hosted by our very own Matt Walker, RDN. Look out for an upcoming dialysis-friendly recipe video coming soon. As always, nutritious and delicious step-by-step recipes are available on our website.
Clients can learn more about important nutrition topics with one of our team’s educational webinars. Previous webinars, such as “The ABCs of diabetes” and “Guide to Food Safety,” are available on our website for clients to reference. Upcoming webinar topics include managing appetite loss, GI symptoms, and additional useful nutrition tips. Interested individuals can access all of this information on our nutrition services page HERE.
The Nutrition Services team is available for all Food & Friends clients to answer your health and nutrition questions. Reach out to your dietitian to schedule an over-the-phone or online nutrition counseling appointment today! [based on the first letter of your last name]:
A: Becca (202) 269-6885
B-C: Ashley (202) 269-6898
D-I: Nicole (202) 269-6876
J-P: Jenn (202) 269-6879
Q-Z: Matt (202) 269-6887
Important Reminders
Updated Menus: Find up-to-date menus for both our Medically Tailored Meals and Groceries on our website HERE.
Recertification: If you have a recertification deadline approaching, reach out to Sophie, our Recertification Coordinator, at 202-269-6847. You can find the required recertification forms HERE.
Yellow Forms: If you need to reference or submit any of the yellow forms (Client Agreement, Release of Information, Acknowledgement of our Privacy Practices), you can find them HERE.
Non-emergency questions or comments: Contact Food & Friends Client Services at clients@foodandfriends.org. As always, our Delivery Line is available for more time-sensitive matters such as delivery cancellations at (202) 269-6820.