Stanford School of Medicine and Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area (RMHC) conducted a study on Food Insecurity titled “Hunger in the Hospital: Assessing Inpatient Caregiver Food Insecurity and a Program to Address It.” Their findings indicate that of the survey respondents, the top two barriers to food access for caregivers were Desire to stay near child (43%) and Financial hardship (31%). 


Like many caregivers that participated in this study, Brandon and I know first hand what it feels like to wait at our child’s bedside not wanting to leave for a moment, even to get food. Some caregivers worry that if they leave to get food, the doctor may stop by while they are away. Additionally, hunger inhibits our ability to process information and affects decision making. 


Meals provided for our family from the RMHC and Family House San Francisco were a lifesaver when our only focus was the survival of our son. Whether it was midday lunch, dinner or a care package, we knew our meals were taken care of. This led us to want to give back in this specific area.