Make Nourishment an Essential Part of Everyone’s Cancer Care
Help fill stomachs with good food and hearts with hope for those fighting cancer. Join The Line, our monthly giving community, and provide free restaurant-prepared meals and community support for patients during treatment.
A good meal changes everything.
When you give someone diagnosed with cancer a meal, you’re doing more than sharing sustenance. You're extending a hand of companionship, reassuring them they're not facing their diagnosis alone. You're igniting a flame of hope, reminding them that brighter days are ahead. You're granting them precious moments to cherish their loved ones and concentrate on their healing. Ultimately, you're enhancing their well-being, bolstering their resilience, and improving their odds of conquering cancer. So, when we say you’re nourishing cancer recoveries, we truly mean it.
Food is our love language.
In 2006, our founder experienced the devastating loss of her father to lung cancer. Through this personal experience, she learned firsthand the profound impact of community support and the healing power of a good meal.
"If every person facing a cancer diagnosis could look forward to their next meal with the same joy and anticipation that my dad did, I truly believe the world would be a better place." ~ Courtney Johnson, Founder & CEO
Stay updated with stories of joy, healing, & good food.
What our nourishment looks like.
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Community Compassion
Research indicates that a sense of community contributes to a 25% decrease in risk for mortality, underscoring the vital importance of collective support in battling cancer. That’s why we work to mobilize the community to take meaningful action. Every donation tells our patients they matter.
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Restaurant Prepared Meals
1 in 5 cancer deaths each year is directly attributed to malnutrition. To help patients overcome treatment side effects, like loss of appetite, local restaurants prepare all our meals. Our current focus is addressing the challenges surrounding access to lunch during treatment and over the holidays.
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A Lifeline of Hope
Cancer doesn't end after a month; for many, it spans years. Our commitment is to be a lifeline for our families for as long as they need. From frequent check-in calls to birthday cards, we understand that it's the small gestures that uphold hope through this challenging time.
One decade down, a lifetime to go.
2023 marked a decade of impact for Culinary Care. During this time, we grew from a volunteer-based initiative to a fully operational organization able to deliver 10,000 meals in one year. We’ve learned a lot and we’re just getting started!
4,000
patients served
40,000
free meals delivered
96%
increase in feeling support from community
90%
increase in hopefulness
77%
increase in appetite
People are working to re-ignite the joy of food for cancer patients. You should join them! Join The Line, our monthly giving community, and be a lifeline when it’s needed most.
Foodies, rejoice! Chicago Magazine's "Chicago’s 50 Best Restaurants, Ranked" includes several restaurants that will join us at Culinary Care’s Gourmand Gala on November 14 at Union Station. Don't miss it!