Healthy nutrition is essential for anyone with cancer.
Food is integral to the body’s ability to fight infection, maintain weight, and preserve strength, as well as maintain mental health, reduce anxiety, and take care of your family. However, more than 70% of cancer patients who participate in programs operated by MSK’s Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service do not have access to enough food.
The Food to Overcome Outcomes Disparities (FOOD) Program
The FOOD Program at MSK provides nourishing food for cancer patients and their families who need it most. Since 2011, the FOOD Program has distributed more than 400,000 nourishing meals to more than 4,000 unique patients and their families across 13 cancer treatment sites. The food we offer is culturally appropriate, medically tailored, and co-located at cancer treatment clinics.
Watch this video to hear patient testimonials and learn more about the impact the FOOD Program has in our communities.
Cancer Patients in Crisis
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the need for food resources among our patients has increased significantly. More than 50% of our patients said that they or someone in their household lost income because of the pandemic. To address this heightened food need, we launched an effort to deliver groceries directly to our patients while they remained safe at home. We were able to deliver almost 100,000 meals across NYC.
Connecting Patients and Their Families with Resources and Services
We are using the FOOD Program to shine light on other barriers our patient face. In collaboration with health care providers, social workers, nutritionists, and community stakeholders, the Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service is working to create a comprehensive, proactive, and culturally responsive program to help address the essential needs of our low-income and underserved patients. Essential needs, such as access to healthy foods, safe housing, stable income, and social support, are critical to successful treatment outcomes for patients.
But there’s still a need for more.
You can make a donation today.
Thank you to these Corporate and Foundation partners for generously supporting FOOD.
