Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant Helps Lifelong Increase Ability to Nourish the Community's Chronically Ill

Seattle, WA, September 17, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Lifelong, a Seattle-based organization that delivers food, housing, and health services to people with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, announced today that its meal production and packaging operations has recently moved to a new south Seattle facility. The new space, located at 210 S. Lucile Street, increases the program’s kitchen and warehouse space by 250%, empowering the nonprofit to serve up to 450,000 meals and provide 70,000 grocery bags per year. The move was made possible by a $500,000 challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. An additional $1.5 million was raised to match this grant from generous foundations and donors.

“Lifelong opens doors to food and nutrition to improve overall health,” says Lifelong’s CEO Randall Russell. “People living with chronic illnesses who are disenfranchised due to poverty, geography, or physical ability can improve their health by eating delicious food that is tailored to meet their nutritional needs. Our Chicken Soup Brigade food program has a 30-year history of doing just that for people with HIV and in the last eight years for other chronic illnesses.”

Lifelong provides its clients with meals through its Chicken Soup Brigade that meets the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association guidelines. Research shows that specialized diets for individuals with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses such as cancer, kidney disease, and diabetes have the power to prevent illness, help medicine absorb into the body, and help people recover more fully after hospitalization. The meals are low in calories, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. It is not unusual for grocery bags to contain items like quinoa, salmon, and fresh bread from a local bakery.

Though meal production and package operations are now in Georgetown, Lifelong will maintain case management, housing, and food pick-up services in Capitol Hill.

Lifelong will celebrate the opening of the new facility with an invite-only Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening on Tuesday, September 23rd from 1:30 – 3 p.m. The celebration will include remarks from Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and Governor Jay Inslee. If media would like to attend, contact Kelly Bray, Communications Manager, at kellyb@llaa.org

About Lifelong
Lifelong is the leading community health organization serving people with chronic illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, in Seattle and beyond. We believe all people deserve a place to live, healthy food to eat, and access to affordable healthcare. Lifelong unlocks doors to food, housing, and health; collaborates with community organizations on the prevention and care of chronic disease; and advocates for effective HIV/AIDS policy. Simply put — we make health work.