Through a new partnership with the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Food & Friends will provide free medically tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition counseling to D.C. area neighbors living with sickle cell disease and their families.
Washington, D.C. (October 29, 2024) — Food & Friends, the D.C. region’s leading provider of medically tailored meals for individuals living with life-challenging illnesses, announces the expansion of its nutrition services to include individuals living with sickle cell disease. In partnership with the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease, clients will gain access to Food & Friends’ nationally recognized “Food is Medicine” programs, including home-delivered medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, and personalized counseling with a registered dietitian.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), often referred to as sickle cell anemia, is a genetic blood disorder that affects the hemoglobin, the major protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. In the United States, it is most prevalent in the Black and Latino communities, causing severe pain, organ damage, and other serious complications, including stroke, lung problems, eye problems, infections, and kidney disease. Individuals living with sickle cell disease often struggle to consume enough calories and the correct nutrients, making a well-balanced diet essential for managing their condition. Food & Friends aims to help those living with sickle cell disease improve their health outcomes, better manage symptoms, and reduce hospitalizations through tailored nutritional support.
“Expanding our services to cover Individuals living with sickle cell disease is an important step in our long-standing commitment to the D.C. region and our long-standing relationship with Howard University and the Howard University Hospital,” said Executive Director Carrie Stoltzfus. “We are uniquely positioned to make a profound difference in the lives of individuals with sickle cell disease through our nutrition services. Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Food & Friends have always worked to serve those in need and this is an important extension of that shared mission.”
The medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling provided by Food & Friends will help clients:
- Enhance their overall health and quality of life through a nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich diet that includes essential proteins, folate, magnesium, and vitamin D.
- Achieve and maintain healthier weight gain and growth by addressing caloric deficiencies and food insecurity.
- Fill critical nutritional gaps and reduce oxidative stress, a common challenge for those affected by this condition.
- Provide support for caregivers and dependents, recognizing that an individual’s illness affects the entire family unit.
“We are honored to partner with Food & Friends to better serve our neighbors living with sickle cell disease. Sickle Cell Disease remains a prominent healthcare disparity and we are excited to empower our patients with the cutting-edge benefits available through their ‘Food is Medicine’ approach to care. This is an incremental move forward in alleviating the complex reasons for this disparity,” said James Taylor, IV, MD, Director for the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease.
With this latest expansion, Food & Friends solidifies its role as the regional leader and expert in the ‘Food is Medicine’ movement, utilizing nutrition to manage complex medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and renal disease. Food & Friends’ medically tailored meals have proven effective across qualifying illness types, with over 79% of clients reporting health improvements, increased quality of life, and a better ability to follow doctors’ orders.
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About Food & Friends
Food & Friends is the Washington region’s leading authority on “Food is Medicine” and the only community-based organization delivering home-delivered, 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, including holidays, 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 47,000 individuals. The organization is accredited by the national Food is Medicine Coalition.
For more information, visit FoodAndFriends.org or Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
About the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease
The Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease is committed to a six-fold goal that includes comprehensive medical care, research, testing, education, counseling, and community outreach.
Media Contact
Mike Schafer
Communications Manager
Email: mschafer@foodandfriends.org
Phone: (202) 269-6841