Food Security
Putting our money where our mouth is
We battle food insecurity among people with cancer by providing healthy meals to those who need them most. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Project Angel Food in Los Angeles to deliver medically appropriate meals to cancer patients who cannot leave their homes.
What is food insecurity?
Not having reliable access to a sufficient amount of affordable, nutritious food.
What does it mean for people with cancer?
Not having enough healthy food directly impacts cancer patient’s survival and quality of life.
Patients experiencing food insecurity are generally short on cash, forcing them to choose between:
- Food that nourishes their body and supports their treatment
- Medical care
- Prescribed medication
We offer this program to eliminate these choices and make sure that people with cancer have the best food to support their health.
Who do we serve?
Spanish-speaking, homebound cancer patients in Los Angeles
On a normal day, those with cancer are immunocompromised, meaning they need to avoid public gatherings and places they might be exposed to germs, infections, or diseases. With COVID-19 in the mix, this is even more important than ever.
Many people with cancer rely on grocery or restaurant delivery, but that requires either cooking when you’re exhausted or eating (usually) unhealthy restaurant food. The meals we deliver to homebound cancer patients are created by certified nutritionists to make sure that they are healthy and medically appropriate – working with the body, instead of against it.
Like many other things, minority and marginalized groups experience higher rates of food insecurity.
- Cancer survivors who are uninsured, young, Hispanic, Black, or Spanish-speaking have higher rates of food insecurity
- 56% of low-income patients receiving cancer care experience food insecurity. That’s nearly 5x the rate in the general population
- In the United States, approximately 13% of households are food insecure
Program Impact
Since 2020, our Food Security program has kept homebound cancer patients fed, healthy, and safe.
22,831
meals delivered
121
Spanish-speaking patients served
Our Partners
Sources: Gany, Francesca, et al. Health-Related Quality of Life of Food-Insecure Ethnic Minority Patients With Cancer. JCO Oncology Practice, 2014.; US Department of Agriculture
Our programs
We provide programs for patients and caregivers across the country. See how we can help you.
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