Causes

Health & nutrition Youth development

Posted by

Deserie M.

Development and Communication Admin Asst

Our mission

We create health for people, communities and the planet through love, healing food and empowering the next generation.

What we do

Founded in 2007, Ceres Community Project is a nonprofit with a unique, integrated model. In our kitchens and gardens, teen volunteers learn to grow food, cook nourishing organic meals, gain leadership and job skills and give back to their community. We deliver the 180,000 healing meals they lovingly prepare each year to local families facing a health challenge like cancer or heart disease. The meals help clients and their families face the medical, emotional and financial toll of a serious illness. Having access to medically appropriate meals can help lessen side effects, prevent malnourishment and unplanned hospital stays, and shorten recovery time after treatment. Education about the importance of healthy food is offered to clients, teen and adult volunteers, and through classes Ceres teaches in health clinics, libraries and at its own kitchens. Ceres serves Sonoma and Marin counties in Northern California, and has trained 13 communities across the country to replicate their model. We work to demonstrate the case for medically appropriate meals as a covered health benefit, ensuring that those who are too ill to shop and cook for themselves have access to the meals that help them manage their conditions, lower medical costs and improve outcomes. Ceres thrives with the help of volunteers and community support.