FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Food & Friends Becomes First Organization to Achieve FIMC Accreditation, Setting the Standard for Medically Tailored Meal Intervention
Washington, DC - April 1, 2024 - Food & Friends, a leading nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., has become the first agency to earn accreditation from the Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC). This accreditation marks the implementation of the FIMC Medically Tailored Meal Intervention Accreditation Criteria and Requirements (FIMC MTM ACR), setting a new standard for agencies delivering medically tailored meal (MTM) interventions.
Medically tailored meals are delivered to individuals living with severe, complex and/or chronic illnesses through a referral from a medical professional or healthcare plan. MTM meal plans are tailored to the recipient's medical needs by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), designed to improve health outcomes, lower cost of care, and increase patient satisfaction.
With a growing national food is medicine movement, the FIMC MTM ACR is a groundbreaking standard designed to ensure the highest quality of care for individuals living with life-challenging illnesses like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and kidney failure. FIMC Accreditation provides guidelines for agencies delivering MTM interventions, establishing consistency and standards in the food is medicine field. Food & Friends' accreditation highlights its unwavering commitment to providing top-tier, quality nutrition services to thousands of adults and children in the D.C. area.
"We are honored to be the first agency to earn FIMC Accreditation, which underscores our exemplary medically tailored meal interventions and excellence in providing food as medicine," said Carrie Stoltzfus, MPH, executive director of Food & Friends in Washington, DC. "FIMC Accreditation sets the standard of credibility for medically tailored meal providers.”
The FIMC MTM ACR was developed through a collaborative process involving nationwide partner agency staff with decades of experience in MTM service provision, along with leaders in standards development – SCS Standards. This rigorous process resulted in standards that ensure all FIMC-Accredited agencies provide the same level of high-quality service, tailored to meet the diverse nutritional needs of their clients.
"We congratulate Food & Friends on this remarkable achievement," said Alissa Wassung, executive director of FIMC. "Their accreditation demonstrates leadership and commitment to advancing the food is medicine movement and ensuring equitable access to lifesaving interventions for those who need them most."
FIMC Accreditation is a testament to an organization's commitment to excellence in MTM provision, providing rigorous quality to clients, healthcare partners, policymakers, and the community at large. FIMC Accreditation sets a precedent for agencies across the country to aspire to, promoting consistent, high-quality medically tailored meals and nutrition therapy for individuals with severe, complex, and/or chronic illnesses. The Accreditation process takes approximately six-months, including an on-site audit, and will be offered on a rolling basis, first to established MTM Agencies on the FIMC Advisory Board, then to agencies that have graduated from the FIMC Accelerator Program, and then to agencies in the field.
The key benchmarks of accreditation include regular assessment and reassessment of clients' nutrition needs, implementation of nutrition risk screening policies, timely delivery of meals, access to medical nutrition therapy, adherence to quality improvement programs, customization of meal plans for various medical conditions, strict adherence to food safety protocols, inclusion of volunteer services, and compliance with HIPAA regulations to ensure client privacy.
For more information about FIMC Accreditation and the FIMC Accreditation Program, visit fimcoalition.org.
About Food & Friends: Food & Friends is the only community-based organization in the D.C. region providing home-delivered medically tailored meals and medical nutrition therapy to our 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. Monday-Saturday, including holidays, staff and volunteers deliver to 5,400 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 28 million meals to 47,000 individuals.
About Food is Medicine Coalition: The Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) is a national coalition of nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing medically tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition support to individuals living with severe and chronic illnesses. FIMC advances equitable access to these life-saving interventions through policy change, research, and best practices. Visit fimcoalition.org for more information.
Media Contact:
Mike Schafer
Communications Manager
Email: mschafer@foodandfriends.org
Phone: (202) 269-6841