Hunger causes AIDS and cancer medications to be less effective (or worse, toxic) and makes it difficult for people to safely take these medications.

Mama’s Kitchen responds to San Diego’s need for a county-wide meal delivery service for local residents who are living with AIDS or cancer and are physically and/or mentally unable to prepare meals for themselves or their children. We strengthen the safety net of services available to these local residents by providing the nutrition they need to maintain essential weight and strength; strengthen their immune systems; properly metabolize medications; minimize side effects; and return to independent living whenever possible.

In April 2016, Mama’s provided 28,362 nutritious home-delivered meals to 361 clients, including 42 children. (Our Children’s Nutritional Health program provides 100% of the nutritional needs of the minor dependent children of Hot Meal Service clients living with their parent.) In addition, 369 HIV-positive individuals received food from Mama’s Pantry, which distributed the equivalent of 5,535 meals during the month. We also instituted our new Emergency Food Assistance program, which provided 84 meals to 2 clients.

Mama’s Kitchen strives to offer nutrition and hope to our neighbors who are vulnerable to hunger. We have never maintained a waiting list or turned away anyone who has qualified for our services, and are determined that we never will.