Having recently occupied a renovated, former factory building in East Baltimore, where a 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen can prepare 1,500 meals a day, 19-year-old Moveable Feast can now enhance its free service to the chronically ill.
“We were founded to provide food services for people who have HIV or AIDS, but that expanded to breast cancer about five years ago. And we also will consider providing food services for other people with serious, critical illnesses,” said Moveable Feast Executive Director Tom Bonderenko. “We’re the only organization in the state that provides nutritionally balanced, home-delivered meals to people with critical illnesses. We have eight different diets that we have available to people. …That sets us apart.”
With a new AIDS rate for Baltimore City that is three times the national average — and growing, according to the nonprofit — and mounting responsibilities to other chronically ill shut-ins, the 30-employee, $2.2 million-a-year group is critically dependent on volunteer help for its 900-client caseload.
It currently has nine vehicles and 15 volunteers — logging 4,000 miles a week — serving 650 home delivery clients in the greater Baltimore area, Cecil County and the Eastern Shore. But with the holidays and tougher economic times approaching — and turkey meals guaranteed for all — Bonderenko hopes more will volunteer.
“This is a great organization that not only delivers meals but also a person, which allows the client to have contact with somebody on a daily basis,” said Karen Bellesky, Ryan White Grant Coordinator for Baltimore’s Chase Brexton Health Services.
The nonprofit currently provides its clients — and their live-in children — six, nutritionally balanced entrees a week and bagged dry goods for daily lunch and breakfast.
It also offers its clients transportation services to and from medical appointments; ferries the homeless from shelters to social service agencies and conducts — with the Christopher Place Employment Academy and Episcopal Social Ministries — three, 12-week culinary arts courses a year for the formerly homebound.
Twice a year it even invites clients in for a review of their diet-medication compatibilities.
“Moveable Feast long has provided an invaluable set of resources to low-income and homeless Marylanders,” said Kevin Lindamood, spokesman for Baltimore’s Health Care for the Homeless agency. “Their People on the Move van really is the only transportation system in Baltimore City reserved exclusively for homeless individuals.”
To donate contact
Moveable Feast
- 901 N. Milton Avenue
- Baltimore, MD 21205
- 410-327-3420
- mfeast.org
