ATLANTA — After 35 years, one Atlanta nonprofit has prepared, packaged and delivered over 35 million nutritious meals to those in need. Open Hand in Atlanta provides highly nutritious meals to more than 11,000 clients, most of whom live below the poverty line.
Every day, more than 80 Open Hand volunteers work to keep this initiative going. The team invited 11Alive inside its operational, and on that day, they were getting honey mustard chicken and sweet potatoes packed and ready.
The team was also joined by a half dozen skilled chefs and registered dietitians, all working in tandem to plan, cook and package nutritious medically tailored meals for homebound clients.
Volunteer drivers then personally deliver the meals to waiting recipients, many of whom are unable to cook or shop for themselves because of serious illness.
“Everything we do here is done through the "food is medicine" lens. We want to empower people to take charge of their health and improve their quality of life and that is why we are committed to high levels of nutrition,” said Matt Pieper, chief executive officer of Open Hand.
With clients in 43 Georgia counties, Pieper said Open Hand serves anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 clients a day and prepares thousands of nutritious fresh meals in its own kitchens.
“We are making our meals from scratch. We don’t use canned goods. We don’t have food with preservatives. We are really talking about high levels of nutrition and high levels of quality,” Pieper added.
In the kitchen, chefs like Open Hand 8-year veteran George Reynolds work on a variety of dishes, such as Chicken and Louisiana Shrimp with fresh vegetables.
How long does it take?
“About 90 minutes from end to end and that is from the time we put everything in the Tilt Skillet until the time we finish,” Reynolds said.
And with Open Hand registered dietitians like Kristen Avara, careful attention is paid not only to creative recipes but to strict dietary standards.
“We are making sure all of our meals have a balance and all you do is worry about how delicious it is,” she said.
And with Open Hand filling such a critical need, it raises a big question: How can a potential client, faced with little income, enroll in a program like Open Hand to ensure highly nutritious meals every day?
Thankfully, Pieper has the answer.
“The first step is to contact our Client Services team and they are going to talk to you and help you understand which agency we work with who can potentially enroll you into our program and see if you are eligible for our level of nutrition services, and then we go from there,” he said.
To reach the Open Hand Customer Service Team, call them at 404-872-6947. And to donate to Open Hand, go to the Open Hand website and click on "Donate Now.”
With thousands of new clients expected in the program, Open Hand will double its space, moving in the coming year to a new facility on Atlanta's Westside near Grove Park.