Sue Elias, Author at Moveable Feast - Baltimore, MD

Planning in the Time of Covid

Sue Elias — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 21:07:29 +0000

In September 2020, Moveable Feast started work on a new three-year strategic plan. It seemed like a daunting task – to step back and chart a course for the future amidst a global pandemic, all while maintaining day-to-day services. Since March 2020, we had been working hard to ensure financial stability, adapting our service delivery model to provide emergency PPE supplies and services, all while keeping our staff and clients safe. Yet, we knew how vital it was to have a unified vision for the future as we emerged from the pandemic. We had to make sure that the “urgent” did not take up all of our bandwidth. In addition, as the world changed due to COVID-19, so did our opportunities and challenges. The staff and board recognized that we needed to determine together where we were headed.

Our first step was to engage in the best practice of revisiting our mission, vision, and values. Planning during crisis helped us hone in on mission and vision quickly, and clearly articulate core values that govern how we operate as a team and what actions make us successful. The twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism shined a light on our desire to center our mission in racial, social, and health equity as the intended impact of our vital work of preparing and delivering medically tailored meals to people experiencing food insecurity and serious chronic illness. We reaffirmed our vision of being a community that feeds people, fights disease and fosters hope with an acknowledgement of how important hope is to all of us right now. Finally, we defined our values of compassion, quality, integrity and hope while adding equity as one of the core values guiding how we do our work.

As we started to identify our strategic priorities for the next three years, we knew that that we were leaning into the unknown. Could anyone predict what the next 6 months would look like, let alone the next three years? We needed to be flexible enough to envision multiple scenarios that could emerge over time. We also dug deep into our roots. We were prepared for the pandemic because we were already serving people who faced food insecurity and had unique health needs that made them vulnerable in a crisis. We wanted to be able to continue doing what we do best – deliver medically-tailored meals to people with chronic illnesses.

We still face challenges that were unimaginable a year ago. It is easy to get stuck in crisis mode where we end up reacting instead of forging a courageous and strategic path forward. Engaging in a strategic planning process allowed us to look into the future with a clear idea of where we want to be in three years. We look forward to engaging with our partners and supporters in forging that path together.

To meet the needs of our community and strengthen our organization, we have identified these five strategic priorities:

Grow and develop people
Attract, develop, engage, and retain diverse staff, board members, and volunteers

Center racial and social equity
Build an organizational culture that is diverse, inclusive, and continually seeks to achieve racial and social equity

Demonstrate and improve impact
Collect and use data to drive measurable outcomes in nutrition education and medically tailored meals programs resulting in greater food access and improved health for those we serve

Partner to expand reach
Develop healthcare partnerships to achieve financial stability and reach more people experiencing illness especially those facing barriers to receiving nutritious food

Engage the community in our mission
Effectively communicate our stories, services, work, brand, and impact to promote health equity

To learn more about our strategic priorities and year one action plan, please visit https://www.mfeast.org/about/strategic-plan/.

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Ryan White’s Legacy in the Fight Against AIDS

Sue Elias — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 14:24:22 +0000

World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year. It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.

When scientists first identified the virus that causes AIDS in 1983, a diagnosis could carry a life expectancy of months. By 1994, AIDS became the leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25 to 44. The death toll had risen every single year from 1981 to 1994, and a cumulative total of 270,000 people in America had died from the disease or its complications.

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that death rates for people in the US with HIV had fallen by 50% from 2010 to 2018. Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, Director of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama in Birmingham credited the success to investments in HIV care, including the federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, for such services as nutritional support, social work, psychiatry and other assistance. “This is not just about the drugs. It’s the entire structure that supports people,” she said. “Sometimes that’s lost in the dialogue.”

On August 18, 1990, Congress enacted the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act to improve the quality and availability of HIV care and treatment for low-income people with HIV. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS program provides HIV care and treatment services to more than half a million people in the U. S. with HIV. People living with HIV/AIDS frequently suffer from numerous comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Ryan White supports people with HIV at each stage of their illness, helping them to remain in care, take their medications and stay healthy. It is an example of the positive impact of comprehensive, holistic care for people living with severe and chronic disease. Ryan White was the one of the first programs to recognize the vital role of interventions, like housing, transportation and especially access to nutritious food, as key determinants of health.

I can remember watching Ryan White and his mother when they appeared on the Phil Donahue show in the 1980’s. This brave teenager had endured rejection, intimidation and bigotry. Yet, he was willing to step forward to educate people about a disease that carried so much stigma. His legacy is the federal program that bears his name and has helped drastically change the prognosis for people diagnosed with HIV. As a result of continued scientific innovation and the commitment of significant resources, HIV has transformed from an untreatable and fatal diagnosis to a chronic, manageable disease.

Moveable Feast has been a recipient of Ryan White funds since 1994. We are one of the key community partners in Maryland that have united with state and local health departments to support people living with HIV and AIDS. Studies have found that people living with HIV who regularly eat healthy food in the right amounts can better tolerate HIV drugs, maintain a healthy weight, and feel better overall. A healthy diet is a key part of any HIV treatment plan. The Center for Disease Control recommends that one of the most important things that a person living with HIV can do in this time of COVID-19 is eat a healthy and well balanced diet.

Living with HIV requires ongoing, complex, and intensive management and many HIV patients do not have the financial resources required for adequate care. Designed to fill gaps in the existing HIV care system, the Ryan White Program provides uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS with access to HIV-related care and delivers high-quality, comprehensive care for these predominantly vulnerable and high-risk subpopulations. Moveable Feast is proud to be a long-term partner in the fight against AIDS and a recipient of funds from the program that bears Ryan White’s name.

Sue Elias is the Executive Director of Moveable Feast

If you would like to join Moveable Feast as we continue to make a positive impact in the lives of those not only living with HIV, but those living with other critical illnesses, we encourage you to visit our website to learn more about how you can get involved with our work.

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Gratitude is Generosity in Action

Sue Elias — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 14:10:54 +0000

Several years ago, I started a daily practice of naming three things that I am grateful for each day. Scientists and self-help gurus were all communicating the same idea; practicing gratitude makes you a more grateful person. Gratitude especially in a year like 2020, doesn’t come easy. Henri Nouwen, a writer, professor, and priest who spent decades living in the L’Arche communities for people with physical and developmental disabilities, wrote in his book The Return of the Prodigal Son, “The choice for gratitude rarely comes without some real effort. But each time I make it, the next choice is a little easier, a little freer, a little less self-conscious. Because every gift I acknowledge reveals another and another until, finally, even the most normal, obvious and seemingly mundane event or encounter proves to be filled with grace.”

As it turns out, research shows that practicing gratitude also makes you healthier. It reduces stress, lowers risk for mental health issues, and even improves immune function. Dr. Judith T. Moskowitz, a psychologist at Northwestern University, and her team have been studying how practicing skills like keeping a gratitude journal, meditating, and performing acts of kindness can help people cope with stress and improve their mental and physical health. “By practicing these skills, it will help you cope better with whatever you have to cope with,” Moskowitz explains. “Ultimately, it can help you be not just happier but also healthier.” Her team has been developing and testing these skills with people who have illnesses like advanced cancer, diabetes, HIV, and depression. She’s also worked with people who care for others with serious illnesses.

We see gratitude manifested every day at Moveable Feast. Clients send notes expressing their thanks for the home-delivered, nutritious food that helps them improve their health and quality of life. Volunteers are grateful for the opportunity to connect (from a safe distance) with the people we serve. The staff and board acknowledge with gratitude the support from our compassionate community of donors and volunteers.

Research shows that gratitude can also lead to generosity. “In a sense, gratitude seems to prepare the brain for generosity… Perhaps this is why researchers have observed that grateful people give more.” Our brains create a gratitude-generosity loop—we are thankful for the generosity shown to us, and that thankfulness inspires our own compassion and generosity. Gratitude is generosity in action.

As we head into the final months of 2020, Moveable Feast is grateful for the support of our volunteers and donors who have helped us meet the challenges we have faced throughout the pandemic. I recognize the generosity of the staff, board, clients, volunteers, and funding partners who have shown flexibility and resiliency over the last nine months. And Moveable Feast commits to action in pursuit of justice, equality and inclusion.

If you would like to support Moveable Feast to feed people, fight disease and foster hope, please visit www.mfeast.org to learn more about our work or to make a gift.

Sue Elias is the Executive Director of Moveable Feast.

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The Power of Healthy Eating & Nutritional Therapy on Breast Cancer Treatment

Sue Elias — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 19:43:01 +0000

When a good friend was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, a group of women jumped into action to schedule regular dinners for her family. I have seen this happen over and over again when a family member, someone at my church, or a family at my children’s school received the life-changing diagnosis of cancer. Friends and family reach out to ease the family’s burden by delivering meals right to their door.

Why do people respond this way? When a friend or family member is hurting, people want to DO something. Making and delivering meals is a direct, tangible way to provide support.

Nutritious meals help patients withstand treatments like chemotherapy and aid in the healing process. Susan G. Komen recommends that people undergoing treatment for breast cancer eat a diet containing a variety of proteins, vegetables, fruit, and grains. The Cleveland Clinic’s tips for those undergoing cancer treatment include getting enough calories and getting the most nutrients per calorie. The American Cancer Society’s guidelines for nutrition during cancer treatment focuses on promoting healthful individual choices. These guidelines are challenging for some cancer patients to follow on their own. Therefore, these organizations also encourage cancer patients to connect with a registered dietitian to provide support and individually tailored food plans to help with side effects such as nausea and lack of appetite.

Here at Moveable Feast, we serve people who rely on us to ease their burden and provide nutritious food as they receive treatment for breast and other types of cancers. They may not have the financial resources, or a network of family and friends who can provide sustainable nutritional support that leads to better health outcomes during cancer treatment. They also may not be able to obtain guidance and coaching from a registered dietitian.

For the people we serve, Moveable Feast becomes the network needed to help a person and family through one of the most difficult times in their lives. Moveable Feast delivers food right to the patient’s door and connects them with a registered dietitian who works with each patient to develop nutritional goals during and after treatment.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Part of awareness is knowing that some people, particularly people of color, do not have access to adequate healthcare and supportive services that they need after being diagnosed with cancer. Public hospitals, community clinics and health centers, and local providers that serve economically disadvantaged communities provide a health care safety net for uninsured people. However, safety net providers have limited resources and capacity, and not all uninsured people have access to one of these providers. For most people, there’s a considerable financial burden associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer is scary and even more so when someone is also dealing with food insecurity. Parents or grandparents will feed their children or grandchildren before themselves even if they have cancer. Lack of food forces some cancer patients to forgo treatment or medicine to feed themselves and their families. The American Cancer Society has found that there is a high prevalence of food insecurity among cancer patients.

When a friend or family member is sick, we all want to DO something to help make things better. Moveable Feast is doing something very important for people with cancer in Maryland – providing healthy, home-delivered meals with individualized nutrition counseling, at no cost, to improve their health and quality of life.

When my friend completed her treatments for breast cancer and then received the all-clear from her doctors, the group that supported her was there to celebrate along with her. The compassionate community at Moveable Feast is a part of every celebration for a cancer survivor who needs us to be in their network of support.

Sue Elias is the Executive Director of Moveable Feast

To help support our clients living with breast cancer, or to learn more about our services, please visit www.mfeast.org.

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