MEALS FROM THE HEART
We make it easy to make a difference.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service indicates that more than 42 million people in the United States live in food-insecure households that are struggling to regularly put adequate food on the table, of whom 13 million are children (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2016a). Although the total number of people living in food-insecure households has decreased, individual need among people who are food insecure has increased. The increasing size of the food budget shortfall helps shed some light on the hidden struggles of food insecure individuals and families across the country. In addition, rising costs for essentials, especially rent/housing expenses, transportation, healthcare, and utilities continue to put real cost pressure on low-income families, many of whom already report having to make regular spending tradeoffs to help ensure they have sufficient food.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Meal Packing
Meals From The Heart is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that brings people together to serve their neighbors through energized and fun meal-packing events that provide flavorful, fortified meals to local food shelves.
Mission Trips
Under the brand name "Mano Amiga", we organize a handful of mission trips per year to honor our heritage and help people in need. As of 2017, this will be focused in the areas of Yucatan, Mexico (since 1992), Guatemala and Tanzania.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to provide high quality, respectful meals to our neighbors through local partnerships while providing meaningful opportunities that allow people to engage in significant service. We provide a variety of tasty and nutritious meals that are pleasantly packaged for our local families through local food shelves and other organizations. At Meals From The Heart, we don't care where mom and dad shop; a national grocery chain, a big box retailer, or the local food shelf. They all deserve a respectful shopping experience where there are a variety of pleasantly packaged tasty and nutritious meals available for their family. In 2014, we introduced new, good tasting, and nutritious meals; new, appealing consumer graphics; and a new standup package design specifically for local food shelves. We realized that the vast majority of meals packed nationwide today were the same formula, devised 20 years ago, to provide calories and nourishment to starving people worldwide. Efforts by many of the other meal packing organizations to “tweak” this meal for domestic use have fallen dismally short. Consulting Chef Peggy Waldon designed our three branded meals: Pizza Mac, Veggies and Rice and Fiesta Rice. Alfredo Primavera will launch in June 2019.
While our main focus is about ending hunger in our neighborhoods; we also focus on facilitating meaningful service. Service removes barriers and broadens perspectives. Service and serving your neighbors builds community.
We also strive to provide education about the serious issue of food insecurity that exists across our nation.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our key differentiators are the LOCAL aspect of our distribution, BETTER TASTING meals, a VARIETY of meals and ATTRACTIVE PACKAGING.
First, we have developed and will continue to develop products that are simple to prepare and actually taste good. We will continue to innovate and create new flavors and varieties that are attractively packaged.
Second, we will continue to add food distribution partners across the country, providing packaged meals to them at zero cost. Wherever we pack is where we consider “local” to be.
Third, we will continue to develop innovative engagement events for both communities and corporations.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a talented and energetic staff, board of directors and board of advisors. We have an active base of over 75 volunteers who help us at events, help us organize and help us spread the word about our events. We have no long-term debt and a healthy balance sheet and business plan. We have host organizations that sign up to do meal-packing events year after year. We have more new product ideas in the pipeline. We have excellent communication with our suppliers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2019, we packed 2,100,000 meals engaging over 8,000 volunteers and distributed food to over 30 sites. In 2020, we had intended to pack over 2,300,000 meals and add at least 10 new distribution sites. With the pandemic, many events postponed and we are working on a diversification strategy until group marl packing can return.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MEALS FROM THE HEART
Board of directorsas of 04/18/2022
Lou Cristan
Williams and Davis LLC
Term: 2023 - 2021
Daniel Davis
Pops Diabetes Care, Inc.
Thomas Thiets
Meals From The Heart
Todd King
Meals From The Heart
Hubert Ngabriano
Ryan Companies
Lisa Diez
Good Samaritan Society
Lou Cristan
3M Retiree
Sam Leon
Acapulco Restaurants
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data