Your Generosity Puts Our Name Into Action
What’s in a name? Well, a lot actually! The name "Culinary Care" isn't just a title; it's a promise. It reflects our mission to nourish both the body and spirit of cancer patients through the power of good food and community compassion.
At Culinary Care, we believe that food should be stress-free, enjoyable, and a source of comfort during the toughest times. Our commitment is to create a supportive community where every individual with cancer feels seen, cared for, and hopeful.
This Is Personal: Our Founder’s Story
Our story began in 2013, inspired by a deeply personal experience of our founder, Courtney Johnson. In 2006, during her junior year of high school, Courtney’s father was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Friends and family brought meals, allowing them to cherish every moment together. This compassion left a profound impact on Courtney. Although she can't share another meal with her dad, she is determined to provide that opportunity to others.
Culinary Care founder, Courtney Johnson, pictured with her beloved late father.
And so, Culinary Care was created. But why did Courtney choose the name "Culinary Care," and how did it come to be? It’s intentional and meaningful. Let’s dive in...
Why “Culinary” and “Care”? The Meaning Behind Our Name
Culinary: Nourishing Meals for Cancer Patients and their Families
One in five cancer deaths each year are directly attributed to malnutrition. That’s 125,000 people every year.
It’s a complex problem, but some of the root causes include treatment side effects like loss of appetite and changing taste buds – side effects that we help patients overcome by working with local restaurants and serving the whole family.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America Executive Chef, Jack Shoop, once said, "The visual hardiness, and the actual heartiness, of these foods has to be understood for them to embrace it.” There are a lot of reasons we work with local restaurants. Their ability to tempt the palate is a big one.
We delivered 40,000 meals in our first decade and comments like this one from Teresa, “I was hesitant to sign up for your program because I’ve had no appetite, but a free meal from a great local restaurant sounded too good. To my surprise, I ate the whole thing,” are common.
A Culinary Care patient about to enjoy a nourishing meal from Big Bowl, one of our partner restaurants, during her cancer treatment.
We believe that if we want to see people nourished and living longer and happier lives, we can’t have them skipping meals. Right now, our focus is on making sure lunch is accessible to as many people as possible, but we’ll start tackling more mealtimes soon enough.
As our founder says, “My dad had a very discerning palate. If it’s a meal he wouldn’t be excited to eat, we don’t serve it.”
We love that our donors have similar stories and experiences. They deeply understand how a chef-prepared meal can be the motivation needed to get someone fighting cancer to eat.
Care: Hope and Community Are Essential for Cancer Recovery
Care is part of our name for a reason. It’s so easy to take it for granted, but it’s what gives people hope and a sense of belonging.
The feedback we hear the most from our families is often about the care we provide. These are just a few examples:
“It means the world to know a complete stranger is thinking about me.”
“I’ve never received such nurturing from anyone. You saved my life.”
“Thank you for the card. It’s the only one I got for my birthday this year.”
When our team isn’t out delivering meals, they’re texting, emailing, and calling our families. Our volunteers are writing cards and preparing chemo care kits. Members of The Line are sending love by committing to be by our patients' side from their first treatment to their last.
Getting ready to distribute Chemo Care Kits—packages filled with nourishing snacks and heartfelt notes to support families during treatment.
To us, “care” encompasses all the little things that make someone’s day brighter.
As you can see, there's a lot that goes into the name "Culinary Care," yet it's simple at its core. At Culinary Care, we’re on a mission to make nourishment part of everyone’s cancer care by delivering meals and bringing comfort, hope, and a sense of community to those facing cancer.
At Culinary Care, our donors put the “care” in us. Make a difference today — Join The Line and be a part of our mission to fill plates with good food and hearts with hope.
