Local Support Sought to Protect Access to Medically Necessary Meals

Organic Soup Kitchen is asking the community to step in during a critical moment to help prevent nutrition gaps for low-income residents living with serious and chronic illness.

Over the past year, Organic Soup Kitchen partnered with a local health care provider to deliver medically tailored meals to individuals whose health depends on consistent, nourishing food.

That partnership helped many people stabilize their health during periods of acute medical need.

Today, that same funding now typically supports meal access for about 12 weeks, Organic Soup Kitchen said.

While short-term nutrition intervention is an important part of medical care, many individuals living with cancer, autoimmune disease, and other chronic conditions need ongoing food support well beyond that window, according to Organic Soup Kitchen.

“When medically necessary food ends before someone is truly stable, the consequences can be serious,” said Anthony Corroccio, founder/executive director of Organic Soup Kitchen.

“For many of our clients, consistent nutrition is what keeps them out of the hospital and able to manage their illness day to day,” he said.

Organic Soup Kitchen works to transition clients into its Nutrition and Food Security Program once medical funding ends, allowing meal support to continue.

However, that program is currently under significant strain as food costs rise and more medically fragile residents seek help, Organic Soup Kitchen said

Without immediate community support, Organic Soup Kitchen said it is concerned some residents may face interruptions in access to reliable, nourishing meals, adding stress for individuals, families, and the local health care system.

Organic Soup Kitchen is calling on community members, donors, partners, and local leaders to help stabilize services through emergency funding, partnerships, and collaborative solutions.

Ways to help:
• Donate toward emergency meal support at organicsoupkitchen.org/hero

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• Explore partnership or sponsorship opportunities

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• Help identify local funding and collaborative solutions.