NOURISHING
Organization grows, prepares and delivers healthy meals to patients
Story by Jolaine Collins ∞ Photos by Lori Eanes
A healthy meal, lovingly prepared and thoughtfully presented, can nourish both the body and soul—especially for people facing serious health challenges. That’s the goal of Ceres Community Project in Sonoma County. Since 2007, the nonprofit has prepared and delivered more than 1.1 million meals designed to support the nutritional needs of primarily low-income patients dealing with illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. But beyond delivering meals, Ceres creates meaningful connections between patients and a community of people who are serving up hope and helping develop healthy food systems. A small staff and hundreds of volunteers—many of them teenagers—grow the food that supplies the organization’s kitchens with fresh, organic produce, and they also prepare and deliver meals. “Food is such a powerful vehicle for creating connection and feelings of being cared for by the community,” said Ceres founder and CEO Cathryn Couch. Ruth Bird of Petaluma, a 70-year-old former Ceres client who was dealing with the debilitating effects of COVID-19, put it simply.
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March/April 2022
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