Baltimore, MD — The Maryland Department of Health today announced the launch of its Medically Tailored Meals program, a central element of the Department’s wide-ranging food initiative. The official launch took place at Moveable Feast in Baltimore City, in partnership with Moveable Feast and Food & Friends, underscoring the state’s commitment to improving health and cost of care through better food access and nutrition.

“We are excited to bring this life-changing program to our community,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “Proper nutrition is a critical aspect of managing chronic conditions, and our medically tailored meals will help bridge the gap for those who need it most.”

The Medically Tailored Meals Program is a free, six-month service that provides freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced meals tailored to each participant’s specific dietary needs. This program is intended to support disease management, reduce hospitalizations, and elevate the quality of life for vulnerable Marylanders. The service will be available in six counties: Prince George’s, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Dorchester, Somerset, and Allegany.

“We can all relate to the stress of ending up in the emergency room or hospital, but for those facing the dual challenge of food insecurity and chronic illness — the stress is even greater,” said Moveable Feast CEO Sue Elias. “As partners in the state’s Medically Tailored Meals program, Moveable Feast and Food & Friends will deliver meals to Marylanders that not only maintain their health, but also preserve their dignity, and avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital.”

This large-scale launch is the first major effort stemming from the Population Health Improvement Fund, a requirement of the AHEAD model focused on addressing non-clinical drivers of health, such as food insecurity. In partnership with Moveable Feast and Food & Friends, participants will receive:

• 12 frozen, medically tailored entrees per week, designed to meet individual medical requirements.
• Oral nutrition supplements, when prescribed by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
• Ongoing nutritional counseling and comprehensive support.
• Convenient home delivery for easy access.

“Medically tailored meals are proven to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs. In a recent Food & Friends study, 71% of diabetic clients experienced a reduction in A1c levels after starting services, with 44% seeing a drop of 1 point or more. Our collaboration with Moveable Feast demonstrated that diabetic participants receiving services saw a 27% reduction in hospital charges,” said Food & Friends CEO Carrie Stoltzfus. “Through our partnership with the Maryland Department of Health, we look forward to measuring this impact on a larger scale and delivering meaningful results for our neighbors and the state.”

The Maryland Department of Health is expanding this initiative by planning a Produce Prescriptions program. This program is set to be rolled out later this year, in partnership with ENOUGH communities.

Additionally, the Department is leveraging federal funds to close critical gaps in the food system. This funding will help ensure that more Maryland-produced foods are incorporated into state food programs.

The Rockefeller Foundation also chose Maryland to apply for its Food is Medicine State Officer Program. This participation will help the state strengthen its capacity and advance policies that expand access to healthy food for individuals with diet-related health conditions.

To learn more about the Medically Tailored Meals program or to enroll, please visit health.maryland.gov/mtmprogram.

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BALTIMORE — Aberdeen Proving Ground Federal Credit Union employees volunteered to pack meals for families in need.

They partnered with Moveable Feast as part of APGFCU’s first-ever Volunteer Week.

“This is a part of our weeklong volunteer initiative, rolling out our brand-new volunteer hour benefit for employees,” said Bre Hill, APGFCU’s director of community impact. “Every day this week, 70 volunteers went out to five different organizations to address things like food insecurity, community development, homelessness. So, this is just a part of that week and a way for us to celebrate giving back to the community.”

Demand for emergency food assistance is at its highest. Moveable Feast delivers medically tailored meals to people with chronic illness.

“Volunteers are pretty much everything that we do. It’s kind of like the lifeblood of our organization,” said Isaiah Maki, an executive chef at Moveable Feast. “Every day that we’re open, we have volunteers come in here. I’ve never been here myself a day that we haven’t had volunteers come in. So, every step of the way — from packaging the meals to preparing the meals to bagging the meals — we even have volunteers to come in and help drive and deliver the meals every day. So, they’re there every step of the way of everything that we’re doing here.”

Last year, Moveable Feast delivered more than 427,000 meals to 2,304 people across Maryland.

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BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Moveable Feast wants you to dine out and give back to the community as part of their ‘Dining Out For Life’ fundraiser on Thursday, October 9th.

On a Wednesday edition of FOX45 Morning News, Megan Gilliland discussed what’s going in to the final preparations for the event and the more than 40 participating restaurants. You can watch the full discussion by clicking on the video included above, and for more segments like this one be sure to tune in to FOX45 Morning News every weekday from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

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The new data came from the study commissioned by Moveable Feast and its Washington, D.C. counterpart, Food & Friends.  A Baltimore-based meal delivery service, Moveable Feast pioneered the Food is Medicine approach in Maryland. It began as a response to the AIDS crisis nearly four decades ago and has evolved into a comprehensive program linking nutrition and quality healthcare.

The study looked for what impact, if any, Moveable Feast’s MTMs had on hospitalization utilization costs and potentially avoidable utilization (PAU) visits. The results showed that the program helped a significant percentage of patients with diet-sensitive conditions avoid hospitalization and save money.

Participants who received Moveable Feasts MTMs saw a 33% reduction in hospital charges, an average savings of $10,640 per patient over six months. There was a 21% drop in potentially avoidable inpatient hospitalizations and a 24% reduction in hospital visits. Additionally, the top 25%of spenders, who accounted for 77% of charges in the six-month period before getting medically tailored meals, saw a 59% reduction in hospital charges. This amounted to an average savings of $55,379 per patient over six months.

“Our clients have complex health and social needs, and navigating those systems to get help can be confusing and stressful,” said Sue Elias, CEO of Moveable Feast, in a statement. “This data provides us with the opportunity to build on existing relationships with our healthcare partners. Together, we can deliver more than food to Marylanders living with serious chronic illnesses. We can deliver hope.”

The study’s results boost the argument that Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance should cover MTMs for patients with diet-sensitive conditions like renal disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and more.

“We hear from our clients every day that we’re making a difference in their lives, and these results reinforce that: a reduction in hospitalizations represents more time that people feel like themselves, and more time that they get to spend at home with family,” said Carrie Stoltzfus, CEO of Food & Friends, in a statement. “We make a difference for individuals and for systems; we’re giving people the opportunity to live with dignity and stability during an illness, while easing the strain on our healthcare system.”

Food & Friends and Moveable Feast two of only 13 organizations nationwide that have earned national accreditation from the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC). This is a prestigious recognition of their leadership in the field of delivering medically tailored meals, meaning their MTMs meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and evidenced-based practice.

Both organizations stress the study’s results demonstrate the need for broader integration of MTM services into healthcare systems. Food insecurity and diet-related disease are on the rise. The groups argue that MTMs are compassionate and cost-effective.

Moveable Feast’s program typically provides clients with 10 frozen, medically tailored entrees, a bag of around 10 servings of fresh fruits and/or vegetables, and when there are dependents living in the home, they include additional meals and grocery items for the dependents. Additionally, the delivery includes a friendly visit to let often-isolated people know they matter and that others care about them. They serve Baltimore City and 14 Maryland counties, some as far as 140 miles away from their Milton Avenue kitchen.

Combined, Moveable Feast and Food & Friends delivered more than 2.5 million meals last year across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. People facing cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart disease, and other serious illnesses had nourishing, healthy meals essential for their recovery and future well-being.

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In recognition of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we asked some of our most dedicated volunteers to share their stories. 

The week of April 20-26^th is National Volunteer Appreciation Week. At Moveable Feast, we enjoy taking this time to thank our volunteers for their time, talent, and dedication. In 2024, over 1,500 volunteers donated 14,567 hours of their time to make meals in our kitchen, deliver meals to clients, and support our events. Four volunteers; Debbie, Mark, Roger, and Robin, have given over 1,000 hours.  

Debbie Michell – volunteer since 2008 

What initially connected you to Moveable Feast?  

I am a member of Fierce Chicks Rock bike team. I first participated in Ride for the Feast in 2008. I rode for 10 consecutive years, then drove Safety-and-Gear for a year, and have done the shorter routes in the 1-day ride more recently. 

I had retired before the COVID-19 pandemic, and in May 2020 I reached out to Jessica Kohnen, the then interim director of Moveable Feast and a member of Fierce Chicks Rock, to ask if I could help. I was an Infectious Disease nurse that specialized in HIV, so she trusted that I could keep myself and our clients safe. 

I have since delivered meals 3 times a week. 

What is it about Moveable Feast that has kept you engaged for so long?  

I missed patient connections when I retired. This fulfills my need to care for and serve others. And I enjoy the weekly one-on-one chats and sharing. I know the clients appreciate the reliability of your drivers and connecting with a familiar face every week. And I love the family of drivers!! I know them like family, and we look out for each other. 

Mark Heesen – volunteer since 2017 

What initially connected you to Moveable Feast?  

Local friends told me they volunteered and enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment and the professionalism of the organization.  

What is it about Moveable Feast that has kept you engaged for so long?  

The kitchen staff have always been truly committed, friendly, and easygoing. I have met some wonderful volunteers that I consider to be friends over the years. The mission of the organization remains highly important to the region and to me. 

What would you say to someone considering getting involved with an organization like Moveable Feast? Whether they’re volunteering in the kitchen, on the road, or at one of our special events?  

The annual bike event is a great time for bikers and volunteers.  A few hours a week can go a long way toward helping those in need. The staff continues to be appreciative of all the work volunteers do be it in the kitchen, on the road or on a bike. 

Roger Frye – volunteer since 2016 

What initially connected you to Moveable Feast?  

My son-in-law volunteered for “Ride for the Feast” through his employer. He had a good experience and still participates in the Ride and other activities. It sounded like a good cause and was a well-run organization. I wasn’t interested in a long bike ride, so I looked into working in the kitchen. 

What is it about Moveable Feast that has kept you engaged for so long?  

Three factors: 

1. Everything I know about the organization is positive. The cause is worthwhile, and the organization seems to be very well run. 

2. The volunteer’s time is well used. In other places I’ve volunteered they don’t seem to know what to do with the volunteers and there’s too much idle time, or worse, tasks are invented to keep the volunteers busy. 

3. The tasks are well defined and easy to master. It is easy for even a first timer to make a positive contribution and feel that their time has been well spent. 

What would you say to someone considering getting involved with an organization like Moveable Feast? Whether they’re volunteering in the kitchen, on the road, or at one of our special events?  

I would stress item b. above: doing worthwhile work in a place that’s well organized and efficiently run. I always leave after a shift feeling that I’ve done a good thing and that my efforts were appreciated. 

Robin Graham – volunteer since 2018 

What initially connected you to Moveable Feast?  

Formerly I had volunteered at other organizations but had heard for years of Moveable Feast, and when I fully retired, I came down to see what it was all about, and the rest is history. 

What is it about Moveable Feast that has kept you engaged for so long?  

For one, a mantra at Moveable Feast: Food is Medicine. Additionally, the other volunteers and the kitchen staff have made it a good fit. I wanted the routine of regularly volunteering and it has given me a sense of serving others. 

What would you say to someone considering getting involved with an organization like Moveable Feast? Whether they’re volunteering in the kitchen, on the road, or at one of our special events?  

The need is great, and the mission of Moveable Feast is of great benefit in the communities it serves. It is a win-win opportunity to serve and help others that need assistance. 

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There is a 60% chance of rain before 8 am. The chance of rain will drop to 30% between 8am and 10am.

Dry conditions are expected after 10pm. The morning low will be 67 degrees, and the afternoon high will be 83 degrees. Winds will be from the west at 10 mph

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Menu for RIDE DAY now available: Rude BBQ, Union Craft Brewing, and more!

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We still need volunteers on Saturday, May 17th, to help run the pit stops along our route in Easton, MD. These volunteers are responsible for checking riders in, making sure they get food and water, and of course, cheering them on!

If you’re interested, or know someone who might be, forward this information and note we will be holding a Pit Stop volunteer training via Zoom on Tuesday, May 6th, at 6 PM.

The Zoom training will be recorded and shared if you are unable to attend.

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