BCH Foundation grants $75,000 to Project Angel Heart

Funds will help deliver medically tailored meals to residents of Boulder-area mountain communities

A $75,000 grant from the Boulder Community Health Foundation seeks to address food insecurity, well-being and chronic disease management for Boulder community members.

Through a partnership with Project Angel Heart, an organization that improves the health and well-being of people with severe illness by preparing and delivering medically tailored meals, we are excited to announce an expansion of services to the mountain communities in Boulder County with funding provided by the BCH Foundation.

The expansion makes home-delivered meals and nutrition services available at no cost to Boulder County residents living with illnesses such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer. This expansion specifically focuses on the Boulder-area mountain communities and is made possible by a one-year, $75,000 grant from the BCH Foundation.

BCH case managers identify patients facing food insecurity upon accessing care at BCH to receive a delivery of a week’s worth of specialized meals from Project Angel Heart. These meals are created by professional chefs and a registered dietician to complement the patient’s treatment.

“Through the community collaboration fund, The BCH Foundation supports BCH by igniting new partnerships, accelerating existing partnerships, or funding partnerships that need financial support. By investing in Project Angel Heart, we are better able to achieve our vision of ‘partnering to create and care for the healthiest community in the nation’,” says Grant Besser, Vice President of Community Health & Engagement and President of the BCH Foundation 

The expansion also increases Project Angel Heart clients’ access to enhanced nutrition services such as nutrition education, one-on-one nutrition counseling sessions, medical nutrition therapy, and cooking classes. Clients will be able to access this nutrition education for up to three months after the delivery of the last meal on the program.  

“Proper nutrition is a lifeline for severely ill Coloradans. Limited energy and mobility can make preparing meals nearly impossible. And for those without a caregiver or struggling with the financial burden of hospital bills, accessing food is even harder. We are honored to receive this investment from the BCH Foundation which will increase the number of people who receive medically tailored meals to manage their health and lessen financial burdens,” said Project Angel Heart’s President & CEO Owen Ryan.

A wide breadth of medical research complements studies conducted by Project Angel Heart on the impact of medically tailored nutrition on health care costs. Results show a correlation between receipt of meals and a reduction in 30-day all-cause readmissions, and statistically significant reductions in total medical costs and inpatient costs for people living with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes.  

Boulder Community Health’s 2017-2019 Community Health Needs Assessment revealed that diabetes, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer accounted for 50%t of health care spending. Further, nearly 10% of Boulder County residents are food-insecure, and the rate of food insecurity and chronic illness are higher in the mountain regions. 

“With memory problems and functioning decline, preparing diabetic-friendly meals 21 times a week seems now close to impossible. The seven meals Project Angel Heart gives me has helped relieve me of that stress and helped me keep my strength. Thank you so much,” said Rosemary, a Project Angel Heart client.