WHEREAS, in 2013, Food & Friends will mark its 25th anniversary of providing meals and groceries to those facing life-challenging illnesses; and

WHEREAS, Food & Friends, which began in the cramped basement of a church, today operates from a 25,000-square-foot renovated warehouse; and

WHEREAS, Food & Friends has three core programs to help it fulfill its mission—Home-Delivered Meals, Groceries-to-Go, and Nutrition Education Services; and

WHEREAS, Food & Friends serves Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax, King George, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford Counties; the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park; Washington, D.C.; and seven counties in Maryland; and

WHEREAS, six days a week, 52 weeks a year, Food & Friends ensures that its more than 2,900 clients never miss a meal; the organization has 11 specialized meal plans designed by its professional chefs and dieticians to meet the nutritional needs of its clients who battle an array of illnesses ranging from cancer to HIV/AIDS; and

WHEREAS, Food & Friends provides nutrition education programs to its clients in the Commonwealth and, since its inception in 1988, has provided more than 15.8 million nutritious meals to over 22,600 individuals; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, Food & Friends will prepare and deliver 3,708 meals a day and serve 2,947 individuals with the assistance of its 14,500 volunteers, who thoughtfully give of their time; and

WHEREAS, Food & Friends receives generous support from community members, corporate partners, and foundations that allows it to continue its vital mission; and

WHEREAS, as Food & Friends marks its 25th anniversary, it remains committed to its mission of making sure that an individual battling a life-challenging illness does not have to do so on an empty stomach; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Food & Friends on its invaluable service on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Food & Friends as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and admiration for the organization's commitment to helping those in need in the community.