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Demand for Home Delivered Medically Tailored Meals
Grew Dramatically in Fiscal 2012
Community Servings experiences 13 percent increase in client demand
Leading healthcare nonprofit set to deliver more than
420,000 medically tailored meals throughout the Commonwealth
Boston, MA (August 1, 2013) – Community Servings announced today that the organization
experienced a dramatic 13 percent increase in demand for home-delivered, medically tailored meals
for the critically ill during fiscal year 2012. That’s up from an average annual three percent increase
– representing a more than six-fold growth in demand for services.
Additionally, the number of clients Community Servings is helping grew by 17 percent in the last
year. On average, the organization experiences one percent annual growth in the number of clients it
serves.
The surge comes as more hospitals, health providers and others are recognizing the important role
reliable access to nutritious meals plays in improving patient health, enhancing medication adherence
and preventing unnecessary hospital readmissions. Community Servings is a leading healthcare
nonprofit that delivers medically tailored meals to patients in 18 communities around Massachusetts.
“No patient should have to worry about how to get access to the nutrition they need to fight their
diseases, but unfortunately all too often it is a major challenge for individuals,” said David B.
Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “There is a growing awareness of this gap and the important
role that home-delivered, medically-tailored meals can play – not only in improving patient health,
but to help in the fight to control rising healthcare costs by keeping patients out of the hospital and in
their homes. The increased demand for our services is a reflection of this recognition by health
providers across the state.”
For more than twenty years Community Servings has been delivering meals to patients with critical
and chronic illnesses such as renal failure, diabetes, cancer and HIV/AIDS. The organization delivers
more than 1,600 meals a day to 18 cities and towns throughout Massachusetts, including Boston,
Cambridge, Somerville, Quincy, Braintree, Randolph, Weymouth, Brockton, Chelsea, Winthrop,
Everett, Revere, Malden, Medford, Lynn, Lowell, Lawrence and Worcester.
“Community Servings meets an important need for our patients: hunger,” said Cara Westerhoff, a
renal social worker at DaVita Dialysis, which provides treatment and support services for patients
with renal disease. “More than just the food itself, by providing free meal delivery, Community
Servings minimizes the stress that our patients feel, which helps our patients to better handle the
sometimes intensive treatment they are experiencing. Our patients often have specific dietary
restrictions because of the illness they are battling, and it is comforting to me to know that I don’t
need to worry that a patient will be rejected from receiving this service because their diet is too
challenging.”
Among the communities experiencing the most rapid growth in 2013 is Worcester, where
Community Servings launched their meal delivery program in late 2012. In the first nine months of
service to the city, more than 9,000 meals were delivered – making it the second largest city for
Community Servings meals in the Commonwealth after the city of Boston.
“Decreased energy levels from chemotherapy and radiation, coupled with increased nutritional needs,
creates a dangerous situation for many patients – one that can put the future of their treatment and
recovery at risk,” said Kelly Karlstad, a Registered Dietitian at Boston Medical Center who
specializes in working with patients diagnosed with cancer. “Community Servings provides these
patients, many of whom are younger and would not qualify for meals programs typically geared
towards seniors, with access to nutritious and flavorful meals that keep patients in their treatment and
on their recovery path.”
Almost half of all Americans – more than 133 million people – live with at least one chronic illness,
according to a 2005 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. About 37 percent of Community
Servings’ clients are battling renal disease or diabetes, while more than 20 percent are fighting
cancer, and another 38 percent are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Community Servings provides meals
to low income individuals and families with chronic illness, more than 95 percent of whom live at or
below the poverty line.
“The rise of chronic disease such as diabetes accounts for billions of dollars in healthcare costs every
year,” added Waters. “Nutrition plays a significant role in the wellbeing of those who are ill, and we
need to do more to ensure that patients have access to the meals programs to improve health
outcomes and reduce hospitalizations. As healthcare costs continue to rise, particularly those
associated with chronic disease, this will become more and more important.”
To apply for Community Servings’ home-delivered meals service, clients must submit a completed
intake packet, including a medical certification form completed by their doctor or nurse. Once
paperwork has been submitted, Community Servings may contact the client, or their doctor or case
manager directly to complete the most accurate eligibility assessment. Application information can
be found online at: http://www.servings.org/programs/app_process.cfm
About Community Servings
Community Servings is a not-for-profit food and nutrition program providing services throughout
Massachusetts to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses such as
HIV/AIDS, cancer, MS and Lou Gehrig’s disease. We provide our 1450 clients, their dependent
families, and caregivers with appealing, nutritious lunch, dinner & a snack each day and send the
message to those in greatest need that someone cares. Our goals are to help our clients maintain their
health and dignity and preserve the integrity of their families through free, culturally appropriate,
home-delivered meals, nutrition education, and other community programs. For more information,
please visit www.servings.org.