Move for Meals

Fundraising Toolkit

Feel free to use any of this language to share more about Food & Friends when you ask your network to support your efforts with Move for Meals!


Fundraising Tips

  • Personalize your participant page: share why you care about supporting Food & Friends

  • Lead by example and make your donation first to get started.

  • To reach the minimum fundraising goal of $200, share your participant page with 10 friends. If they each donate $20, you will reach your minimum.

  • Your $30 registration is the same amount that one take-out meal could cost. Forgo your meal and donate this to one day of home-delivered, medically tailored meals.

  • Use your activity goal as a mile marker: “I plan to walk for 30 minutes each day in October. Will you support me by making a donation of $30 to provide one day of home-delivered, medically tailored meals?”

  • Send updates to supporters as you reach your goal. Keep them in the loop

  • Use your network. Reach out to friends, coworkers, or members of book club or run group who are interested in helping others. Ask them to help you promote the fundraiser to their networks. You will be surprised how many people will want to help if you ask them to!

  • Show thanks early and often. Send thank you messages, give social media shoutouts to friends who donate to you, highlight the impact their support. They will be grateful for anything you do to thank them for giving and sharing throughout your campaign.

    • More About Meals

  • $10 = 1 medically tailored meal

  • Registration of $30 = 1 day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) of home-delivered, medically tailored meals

  • $200 fundraising minimum = One week (6 days) of home-delivered, medically tailored meals for an individual living with a serious illness. 

    • ​Impact of Meals

  • In 2025, Food & Friends will deliver nearly 2 million home-delivered, medically tailored meals to more than 5,500 neighbors across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, including dependents and caregivers.

  • Each registration provides everything we need to deliver 1 full day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) of home-delivered, medically tailored meals to a neighbor in need.

  • We believe food heals.

  • 86% of Food & Friends clients report health improvements after receiving our medically tailored meals, and 83% report an improved quality of life.

  • Every client has access to 1:1nutrition counseling with one of our registered dietitians. 

  • Last year 1,004 clients participated in a nutrition counseling session with one of our Community Dietitians.

  • Food & Friends is powered by a team of over 4,300 annual volunteers who dedicated 71,429 hours of their time to serving their neighbors last year.

    • Our Mission:

    Our vision is a community where everyone who is seriously ill has the nourishment they need to manage their illness. Food & Friends is built on a simple premise: anyone can get sick and everyone can help.

    To improve the lives and health of people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses that limit their ability to provide nourishment for themselves by:

    • preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries that are designed to meet the medical and dietary needs of each of our clients;

    • providing nutritional counseling and wellness education that enhances our clients’ quality of life; and

    • creating a strong sense of community for both our clients and volunteers that reduces the social isolation that often comes with serious illnesses and provides meaningful opportunities for neighbors to help neighbors in need.


    Food & Friends Client Quotes:

    “Food has become part of my healing. My Food & Friends’ dietitian helps me manage the side effects of my medication by identifying my type of diet and how often I must eat, despite my lack of appetite and gastrological challenges. My symptoms and quality of life are improving. Today, I live, HIV healthy.” Donna, neighbor living with HIV/AIDS

    “Food & Friends delivery is amazing. I don’t have to go out. My blood sugar has come down significantly. I don’t overeat now because they give me the portions I’m supposed to have. They have changed my life, saved my life, and rearranged my life.” Ivan, neighbor living with diabetes

    “I was able to get the meals prepared when I was sick with cancer. But then when I was cured of the cancer, the mobility, the freedom that I could have, I could get back to my normal routine. To this day, I don’t know what I would have done without Food & Friends.” Carl, neighbor who had liver cancer


    Catchphrases

    Anyone can get sick and everyone can help

    Neighbors helping neighbors

    Hashtags

    #NeighborsHelpingNeighbors

    #FoodIsMedicine

    #MoveForMeals


    Outreach Templates

    Dear friends and family,

    I hope you’re well! I’m participating in Move for Meals to raise funds for an amazing nonprofit called Food & Friends, and I’d love your support.

    Food & Friends makes and delivers specialized meals to thousands of individuals living with serious illnesses, including cancer and HIV/AIDs, in the D.C. area. This cause means a lot to me because [insert personal reason for supporting the cause].

    That’s why I’m participating in Move for Meals, a month-long fitness fundraiser with the goal of providing 20,000 home-delivered Medically Tailored Meals. 

    My goal is to raise [insert fundraising goal], enough to provide (depending on fundraising amount: $200 = one week of medically tailored meals; $400 = 2 weeks; $1,000 = 1 month of medically tailored meals for 33 clients or two months for one client). To do this, I’m pledging to (insert activity goal).

    Would you consider donating to my fundraising page? Your generosity will help individuals with serious illnesses receive the nourishment and care they need to manage their illness. You can donate here: [insert fundraising page link].

    Thank you so much for your support!

    [Your Name]


    Follow-up email:

    Hi Friends,

    It’s halfway through October. I have made it to 40% of my fundraising goal. Will you chip in $25 to help me raise $200 for one week of home-delivered medically tailored meals? I have been biking to and from work this month to "Move for Meals".

    Food & Friends has always stepped in when people who are sick need help the most. Help me support them in delivering hope and health our neighbors in need.