Comfort Food

2012-02-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Roller coasters. I never really liked them. You have no control over anything when you ride them - your belly drops out, you scream uncontrollably, sometimes bugs fly into your mouth. You get off feeling discombobulated, dizzy and not sure where to go next. And what do you do? Get right back on the next one.

I've lost count how many roller coasters we've ridden over the last few weeks. Each dizzying ride leads to another, followed by the attempt to walk straight, think straight and function in between each wild ride. From balancing our emotions to balancing other people's emotions, being taken care of while taking care of our little ones, and all while swallowing and processing each horrific dip in the ride: cancer. tumor. encephalitis. brain trauma.

Today's ride has a new loop, but one we've been on before. We know how to hold on to our lunch as we ride through this one, but barely. Today's loop was the simple statement: "Insurance is refusing to cover treatment." That is a loop we thought we read ahead on the rails of this ride, but had hoped that the 6 years since riding it last had led to policy change. We thought surely times have adjusted and Auggie's disorder is more diagnosed and recognized than it was 6 years ago. Surely the healthcare system has evolved to rule a proven treatment coverable by insurance. Nope.

So the ride continues. We have a big loop-de-loop to ride today, all while that nasty bug called Opsoclonus-Myoclonus sits at the backs of our throats.

There are those moments of joy when you ride a roller coaster, when people emerge and sit next to you, and give you the lovely diversion you crave. Those beautiful people that emerge from the shadows to stock your freezer, deliver a hot meal, provide you with groceries, or, like today, present you with the chance to spend time with a young college athlete who is looking to bear your burden for just a few minutes. Those people who are not afraid to help carry your load are what keeps you moving each time you step off the ride. They are the ones that will return quietly, again and again, to sit next to you and share the dips, loops, and yes, the bugs in your throat. And for each of you, we're very grateful.

Round #2

2012-01-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

We never thought we'd be back in this spot with our little man. Nobody ever does. My husband said it best this morning, "We knew relapse was always a possibility. We never contemplated it would actually happen, though." It's very empowering to fight - and think you've beaten - a critical illness. You never want to think about having to do it again. You focus on picking up the pieces of your life, putting them all back together in their new semblance of order, and you learn to live life again without looking over your shoulder for that dragon chasing you.

Relapse is insidious, but the small little advantage we have over it is that now we know how to protect ourselves. We know what the dragon is going to do next and who to call for reinforcements. We welcome round #2.

Ding. Ding.

Auggie will go in for an MRI this Monday to rule out cancer, which is a high likelihood. He began heavy dose steroids to tame the attack his immune system is waging on his brain thinking it's a tumor. He will go in for IVIG on Friday to boost his immune system, and if his MRIs come back positive for cancer, we'll head down the hallway to chemotherapy. Below are links to explain all these terms, so please feel free to research at will. With 1 person in every 10,000,000 being diagnosed with it, feel lucky to know Auggie!

Our first battle with OMS began when he was 16 months old with flu-like symptoms and severe opsoclonus (his eyes jiggled erratically) and ataxia (he lost the ability to walk). Developmentally he remained intact. This go-round, Auggie is physically fine but has moderate dysphasia, short term memory loss and mild tremors. I liken it to living with a sub-four foot person with alzheimers. He is full of humor, mischief and life, but can't remember the day, how to get dressed or what he had for breakfast...a half hour ago.

We've lost Auggie before and brought him back. We'll do it again. Go away dragon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opsoclonus_myoclonus_syndrome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intravenous_immunoglobulin

individualandfamilies/health-and-well-being/hw/medical-topics/opsoclonus-myoclonus-syndrome-nord679.html

That Defining Moment.

2012-01-24T14:25:00.001-08:00

When you're the mom of a kiddo who has fought a terminal illness, followed by a brain-damaging autoimmune disorder, I am often asked, "At what moment did you know something was wrong?". The simple answer to that is what many other moms in my situation would say. First, there is no moment but a series of moments where your intuition causes you pause. For instance, the teacher might mention, "He's been staring off in the afternoons..." which has the easy answer, "Yes, sorry! We had a late night last night". There are the insignificant times where that little voice says "hmmm" but is quickly quieted by a need to get dinner on the table. In most cases, many moms can't identify one particular moment that caused them to pick up the phone and call the neurologist, oncologist or pediatrician. But at some point there is that quiet break in the action. The realization that things haven't been normal, or have they? It sparks an awareness in a mother to watch every moment, every nuance, every morsel of food that is consumed, and every hour of sleep.

It's often after many days, or even weeks, that the conclusion is made that no, things are "off". The culmination of all those little moments compiled that forces a mom to move as if through water to pick up the phone and say, "Yes, doctor, he could be relapsing".

I picked up the phone today. Through very familiar and raw emotions, staring down a long, dark tunnel ahead, I slowly took the first step toward facing what each of those little moments of pause are telling me.

And this is our defining moment: this is where we pick up the fight, again.

Be The World

2012-01-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful holiday season for Comfort Food!

As you all know, despite an unplanned December, our meals are all now resting in the bellies of families fighting critical illness. We were able to stock the freezer at The Cancer Support Center in Blue Ash, leaving our freezer empty (typically that's how I like it!) and felt the generous support of so many over the holidays. From the dear friend who slipped an envelope into my hand after a party...to the donations given as gifts in honor of others...to the unexpected letter and amazing contribution from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Harmann Fund! All are blessings at a time when needs are going to become even greater as we enter the long, cold days of winter after the warm glow of the holidays.

Because we're a small, and very quiet little organization by design, with that comes a lot of anonymity. We don't often receive letters of thanks, but when we do it's for the meals. To receive a letter of encouragement at a time when I personally needed it most was the bright spot of this holiday season. Following a letter about how a friend participated in one of our events then payed it forward for another family in need, she wrote this:

"We applaud all that you have done. Never be discouraged, as there are so many people, even those you don't realize, that you have helped because of your dedication to others."

As the saying goes: To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.

Be the world to someone this year.

Best Laid Plans

2011-12-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

This month, we were slotted to host our December Comfort Food anniversary meal preparation event. This is a big deal for us as it marks the 5th year we've been providing meals to families fighting critical illness. That's more than 13,000 people we've supported since 2006, something my husband and I are very proud of.

A few weeks ago our partnering organization contacted me, and with a gulp and an immense amount of guilt, I had to cancel the event. I would be leaving on a work engagement with my husband the day following the scheduled event - and with the huge Thanksgiving food needs this year, our coffers were dry. I felt a sense of failure and selfishness. We would be traveling out west rather than preparing meals for families not able to experience anything like that because of a critical hospital stay. I had a heavy heart after hanging up that phone with our partners for the event. We were due to fly out in 6 days.

Soon after, Jason happend to notice the lights on the Comfort Food freezer were off. We immediately unloaded all 50+ meals and miraculously squeezed them into our own family's freezer prior to their defrosting. Jason worked for hours on the freezer but could not get it running again. We were scheduled to leave for Denver in 3 days.

With 2 days left to departure, we received a call that The Cancer Support Community of Greater Cincinnati was in desperate need of meals for their support groups during the holiday season.

On December 7, the day orginally scheduled for the Comfort Food anniversary event, we were able to stock the freezer at The Cancer Support Community. As I was leaving CSC, the Programs Director grabbed me and shared with me how important these meals are. That these folks come in for their support groups desperate for meals to get them through a week of chemo, during which they are often working and providing for their own families at the same time. It was an impactful conversation that reminded me why we do what we do.

It wasn't until the flight home from Denver that it all hit home for me. The magic of the season. The small little Comfort Food song that continues to sing.

If we hadn't canceled the event, we would have had a freezer full of meals for families. Each and every meal would have spoiled, leaving 50+ families without meal support. If we had spent what money we did have on that event, it would have been wasted. And on the exact day we were scheduled to do what our mission dictates, we did just that. We put meals into the hands of those fighting cancer over the holiday season. Just like our own family was doing back in December of 2006.

Far deeper and more fulfilling than our trip this month was the realization that the unexpected and unplanned chain of events that led up to that trip were meant to be. And despite a December that was not what we'd envisioned, we very quietly and unceremoniously honored our Comfort Food mission. Happy anniversary, Comfort Food.

Serendipity.

Tip Toeing Through the Holidays

2011-11-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

In the early days of Comfort Food, I had big dreams for our little start-up non-profit. I felt like the only way Comfort Food would be successful was to be big, loud, everywhere and all over. In those early days, it seemed success came from splashy websites, constant television appearances, and public speaking every weekend.

As my life changed, and times continued to stay trying for our little family through our own medical crisis, Comfort Food took a bit of a back seat. It had to so our family could heal. And even from the backseat of our fast moving vehicle, careening around bends in roads and around blind corners, Comfort Food continued to sing a little song. It was quiet, it was sweet, and it was healing not only our family, but so many others.

As I've traveled both routes: the big and splashy, and the quietly serving, I've found great peace in being a small, special, and continuously moving little non-profit. I simply enjoy the reward of seeing the relief on that mother's face when she is able to stock her freezer for the next few weeks. That is our mission in it's truest form. And it's okay that we continue operating through quiet funding and individual donors. Obviously we're doing something right if we've been operating that way since 2006.

Comfort Food is special in it's quiet, community of giving folks. People who don't need television appearances or billboards. They just want to get together with a few friends, prepare some meals, and know that there's a mother out there just like them that will warm that meal for her little ones and, in turn, feel very warm inside in the cold darkness of hospital days.

So, yes, tip toeing is just fine for Comfort Food. And we will continue to move through the medical community quietly supporting families and the organizations helping families as long as there are mothers, fathers, and children that could use a little hot meal now and again.

Wow. Just, wow.

2011-10-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today I stocked the freezer of a young family with a 6 year-old who has been battling leukemia for 2 years, and I depleted the Comfort Food freezer in the process. On my long trip home I was worrying about how I would re-stock before our next prep event on 11/18, when I got an email that our Dream Dinners partner in Anderson has been collecting meals for us and will match those donated by their patrons...did I want to pick them up Monday?

Wow.

Comfort Food Happenings

2011-10-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

With the holidays quickly approaching, it's an important time of year to remember that medical crises don't stop for the holidays. There will be little ones eating hospital food for Thanksgiving, and little peanuts spending Christmas eve waiting for Santa in a half-lit hospital hallway. There will be kids who celebrate all of Hanukkah in a hospital gown, and when the new year comes along with all the hopes of a new beginning, there will be anguished parents desperately wishing at midnight for their child to be able to come home. To get well. To Survive.

And believe it or not, horrible diagnoses even happen on Christmas eve. I know because we were given ours that night. There are families all around Cincinnati that will be facing dark moments from now until January. As a community, let's support these families now more than ever.

If you would like to provide a Thanksgiving meal to a family fighting critical illness this holiday season, please contact dena@hipskind.net. Or, to book your holiday meal preparation party, there's no better way to celebrate the holidays than to cook together and stock a struggling family's freezer with the gift of comfort food.

I know it's early, but together let's make some holidays happy!

Thank you, friends!

2011-09-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

What a great event today. A million thanks to everyone who took the time to share the morning with us despite busy fall schedules! We were able to prepare 50+ meals this morning which will be distributed to the freezers of those in need all throughout the Greater Cincinnati area! On behalf of those families, thank you.

Look for information about our October event posted here!

Support Our Friends!

2011-09-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

A shout out to all our supporters: our Bloomington friends at the IU Health Proton Therapy Center need your support! Like their FB page and learn a little more about the amazing things they're doing to fight cancer in Bloomington, Indiana. They're an amazing group making miracles happen...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/IU-Health-Proton-Therapy-Center/111531775591282

www.iuhealth.org/protontherapy

Looking for a Chance to Stock a Freezer?

2011-09-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

We're so thrilled to be working with Dragonfly Foundation (I can't say it enough!) and we are now connecting with more and more Cincinnati Children's families in need of meal support while fighting their child's illness with many little mouths at home. If you are interested in helping us to deliver meals to these families, please contact me at dena@hipskind.net.

Comfort Food meals are delivered to the families of outpatient children as just a little extra support while they continue on their long road of the toughest fight of their lives. Please help us keep their freezers stocked and their burdens a little lighter.

Thoughts and prayers...

2011-08-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend marked a bittersweet event for Comfort Food. We were thrilled when dear friends and supporters of Comfort Food expressed an interest in opening a chapter in Columbus, Ohio. A lovely family, the Wilsons, were inspired to begin supporting those fighting critical illness and medical adversity in the Columbus medical community. One new baby and several months later they issued invitations to their annual badminton tournament with a new spin: to collect financial contributions to launch a new Comfort Food chapter.

What they hadn't expected was the sudden loss of Heather's father just prior to the event. And in keeping with their amazing spirits and incredible strength, the tournament went on.

It is with the deepest love, gratitude and support that we thank Adam and Heather for supporting Comfort Food despite their sudden loss this weekend. As you both know, Comfort Food was born out of our own experiences with medical crisis, and blessedly, it became an incredible source of healing.

May it serve you in the same way as you honor Heather's father and his memory. We love you, Wilson family, and you are in our thoughts and prayers.

The Ask

2011-06-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Comfort Food was founded to put warm, home cooked meals directly into the hands of those families fighting critical illness: the mom shepherding her child through a battle with Leukemia...the mom fighting breast cancer with little strength to grocery shop after a long day of chemo...the family that has been battling critical illness for so many months that all their financial resources are depleted and they are simply living day-to-day...

Our question has always been "how do we get our meals into their hands". Our solution has been a development, a process, an organic growth that began with our own hungry hands.

In 2006, we were inpatient ourselves with Auggie fighting cancer and his rare cancer-related disorder. Funds were depleted due to the rarity of his disorder, and my husband found himself without his very stable software technology job as the market had just begun what we all know now was one of the worst stumbles in our generation. Every penny went to Auggie's treatment. We learned a very difficult but enlightening lesson in our journey: to shed our pride and ask for help. The minute we did, our community rose up and surrounded us. With no family in town, those that had had their own health scares immediately presented us with meals. They continued until our freezer was full, our bellies were full, and we had enough to share with other families in unit with us at the hospital. We learned that to ask for help is perhaps one of the hardest things one has to do...and the base of our human strength and healing.

We understand that not everyone is ready to issue that cry for help...some may never be. But if we can make our meals available to those ready to ask, as well as to those who would rather quietly take what they need when no one is looking, that is how we will support families. And ensure that while fighting the fight of their lives, they will be strengthened and nourished by a warm meal prepared by someone who understands what they're going through.

Today, we stock the freezers of The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Meals are available to those who actively seek out their free support services while fighting cancer, and the Comfort Food meal program is there waiting for them.

And now, we're thrilled that our meals are also delivered directly to the hands of parents whose children are fighting critical illness at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. When families are admitted to CCHMC they are asked to complete a form distributed by the Drangonfly Foundation. When the need for food is requested, we will be there to fill it.

This is a very special time in Comfort Food's growth and development here in Cincinnati. Since our Cincinnati launch in December of this year, we have provided meals to nearly 1,000 folks facing medical adversity. We have begun distributing meals to families, individuals and organizations in Greater Cincinnati, and every bite of that food has been given through the donations of private individuals and supporters of our mission.

As I chatted yesterday with a lovely young mother whose 8 year-old is fighting Leukemia, and has been for some time, I realized we're doing just what we should be. My 11 year-old son and I were able to deliver 8 family size meals to her for her family of 5, and in the process we were able to share our stories while chatting on the front porch. My son was able to connect with her oldest as "big brothers" of little guys fighting critical illness, and I hope that we were able to give her that sense of strength and hope that our community gave us 5 years ago. There is hope, and with a simple ask for help, it opens the door and presents that little sliver of light at the end of a long and frightening tunnel.

It's That Time Again!

2011-06-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful spring of filled freezers and bellies, thanks to our many event partners, it's time for another big Comfort Food event!

Summer Solstice and Sustenance will take place on Friday, June 10, and we'll be serving up some wonderful breakfast fare, beverages, and another good time! We will be preparing meals for more than 100 people experiencing critical illness this summer.

We're also thrilled to welcome Polly Campbell, restaurant critic and food writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer, who will be joining us as she writes about Comfort Food for an upcoming piece in the Cincinnati Enquirer!

As always, we hope to see you there!

(To participate in this event, please contact Dena Hipskind at dena@hipskind.net. Spaces are limited.)

Comfort Food and Dragonflies

2011-05-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Comfort Food is pleased to announce we will begin outreach to the families of Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center through our partnership with Dragonfly Foundation (www.thedragonflyfoundation.org).

Dragonfly Foundation has been providing care, support and resources to families of Cincinnati Children's Hospital and will begin offering Comfort Food meals to those families in need while staying in Cincinnati indefinitely for treatment, or while experiencing the other side of medical crisis: the struggle to find normalcy following the emergent periods spent as inpatients.

I can't tell you how amazing and empowering it is to meet other women with shared experiences joining together to fulfill a common gap in our healthcare system - family support. I commend Cincinnati Children's for embracing organizations such as Max's Meals & More (www.maxsmeals.org) and Dragonfly Foundation in recognition of the changes that have to happen to the entire family experience to better ensure the positive outcome for these little patients.

Thank you so much for helping us find those growling bellies and for helping Comfort Food to fill them.

A reminder

2011-05-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

When we began Comfort Food in 2006, it was because we understood the importance of meal support during a time of medical crisis. We didn't think we'd be reminded of that need again, but unfortunately, we have.

Last week when my dad calmly asked my mom to drive him to the ER, we never dreamed we would be a family sitting vigil around the clock for days. He had been having chest pains for weeks and suffered silently, as a lot of men do, fearing the doctor's diagnosis. After a rough night of crushing chest pain, he knew it was time to face the music.

We sat through several diagnostic procedures as we feared leaving the waiting room in case we'd miss our chance to speak with the doctors. We then waited with my dad in his room for fear we'd miss a moment to ask our ever-growing list of questions. We waited as he underwent hours of surgery for a quintuple bypass. And we waited for days in ICU desperately hoping he would gain enough strength to wean from the ventilation tube. As we waited, our bellies growled, and we knew we would have little mouths to feed in the evenings as our kids came home from school.

During this time, we were able to sneak a meal or two from the amazingly overpriced restaurant at the hospital, but my thoughts constantly went back to those families without the resources to eat out every night or purchase expensive hospital food. My memories flooded back - how difficult times were for us when we were those people - unable to afford those expensive meals, and barely able to make time for cooking our own with whatever ingredients we could afford.

Dad is healing - miraculously - and we are back to somewhat of a normal schedule having come through the emergent first few weeks. Our family is thriving, and my dad will be making a better than full recovery. But there are so many for whom the struggle is just beginning. And Comfort Food meals will be crucial in those dark times when funds have gone to cover the costs of treatment or emergency room bills...and they will have growling bellies and a long wait ahead.

The Comfort Food Freezer is Empty (and I couldn't be happier)!

2011-04-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Comfort Food freezer is empty, and that's just as it should be. When we have meals in the freezer, it means someone out there is going hungry.

We are thrilled to share that we are now distributing meals to families fighting cancer in Northern Kentucky through the Wellness Community. More meals into more hands...that's our mission!

A continued, heartfelt thank you to all of you who have helped to support Comfort Food since we launched in Cincinnati in December. Together, we're making a big difference.

It's such a lovely, small world.

2011-04-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking to 40 women at a luncheon in Montgomery about Comfort Food. I was able to share how we began and how we've continued support for families and individuals here in Cincinnati, and answered many wonderful questions (clearly my speaking is "off the cuff" and could probably use some refining, so the questions were a great help!). It was a very special afternoon and I can't thank the group enough for welcoming me with open arms. Such fantastic food...and the bread....wow!

Imagine my surprise today, while on a field trip with Owen to Music Hall, when I looked to my left through a sea of kids to see one of the ladies I met yesterday sitting not 10 feet away! It's such a small world, and so amazing that we all truly are connected in some way. Many ways, even.

As Aesop reminded hundreds of kids at Music Hall today: be kind to others, because like that mouse who saved the lion, you never know who might come to your rescue when you need it most. It's a very small world!

When we need it most.

2011-04-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

As anyone who has been faced with a medical crisis knows, help comes when we need it most. It's truly miraculous how that happens. When our little guy was sick, the darkest of days would yield the brightest of spots: a phone call from an old friend offering support, an unexpected note in the mail, or a neighbor in our kitchen upon arriving home from outpatient chemo with coffee brewing and a casserole in the oven.

I've been bombarded by these little reminders of bright spots today so it seemed important to say a general thanks on behalf of Comfort Food and those who are being given their own "bright spots" right now when they need it most.

Today, in a dark moment, my friend fighting a critical auto-immune disease reached out on Facebook to see who might know of a neurologist in the city she will be traveling to for a rare, cutting edge surgery in a few weeks....only to find an old friend who happend to BE a neuro in that city.

When balancing the Comfort Food books this morning, and getting a little worried about the money required to support so many in need right now, the fabulous nieces of Marissa Nay elected out of the blue to support Comfort Food through a very nice donation. Thank you so much Natalie and Danielle Bailey!

But to think about those who need it most while fighting critical illness and medical trauma, Sara and Ryan are foremost in my thoughts. They welcomed their beautiful baby girl into the world last week, unexpectedly, at 31 weeks. She is fighting hard just like her mama who will have to begin radiation this week for the cancer she has been fighting since 2005. Sara was blessed with the brightest spot of all: in the darkest of days, she was able to experience motherhood for the first time despite a continuous battle with cancer.

There is no doubt in my mind, when we need it most, the most amazing things can happen.

A Great "March Into Meals"...

2011-03-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those fantastic volunteers who supported Comfort Food on Friday morning! It was our first afternoon event, and it was a huge success! Stay tuned for next month's event date to be posted soon...and it will once again take place in the early afternoon.

We'll see you in April!

A Sponsor for Tonya

2011-03-11T08:10:00.001-08:00

Comfort Food is in need of a sponsor for Tonya, a woman battling stage IV breast cancer in Indianapolis...

On December 8, Tonya underwent a mastectomy due to breast cancer. She had been told she would need to continue with radiation and chemotherapy additionally, and all she could do was hope for the best.

Tonya was already confined to a wheelchair when she was told this, and she lives alone.

Comfort Food is looking for someone who is able to sponsor meal support for Tonya. Her father will be able to pick up her meals at Dream Dinners in Fishers, Indiana, but we are looking for a family, church group or individual who might be able to cover the small costs associated with these meals so that Tonya will not have to worry about how she will stay nourished on the long journey she has ahead of her.

If you are interested in supporting Tonya, please contact me and we can discuss details.

"To the world you may be but one person, but to one person you may be the world."

dena@hipskind.net

Thank you, Daisy Troop 48380!

2011-03-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Daisy Troop 48380 for donating boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to Comfort Food!

Girls, you did a great job and you will make a lot of people very happy to have a sweet treat.

A big thanks to their troop leaders for thinking of Comfort Food...

Why?

2011-02-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Since our inception, I've been trying to explain to folks how we work and why we work the way we do. No, we're not "Meals on Wheels" or a food pantry. Our concept is the only one of it's kind. We provide meals to organizations that already offer a respite to families experiencing critical illness. We are a program that allows these organizations to provide food to these families without having to manage that piece themselves, most with an already overburdened volunteer staff or a tight operating budget (as is the case with all nonprofits!). And these meals are unique, healthy and easy to prepare solutions that give families and individuals that taste of a normal life before illness. That one night to sit down together and share a dish directly from their kitchen, and feel whole again.

Because Comfort Food is a "behind the scenes" support organization, sometimes we don't always directly feel the impact we're having on others. Until we get notes like this....

"I went through the last 3 years of cancer treatment without family or caretakers. I made it. Now, I have a newer friend who is herself going through a second battle with cancer. Like me, she doesn't have any family in the area and is relatively new to the area and so does not have a lot of close friends. I have taken her 5 or 6 of the meals you have provided at the Wellness Community over the last several months. Thank you so very much. It has made it so much easier for me to be able to help her and has most certainly reduced the stress she is experiencing. Thank you is never enough but I hope this email can express even a small part of how grateful we both are for your assistance."

That pretty much sums it up...

One Crumb at a Time....

2011-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

As Comfort Food softly launches in the Cincinnati community, it's important to keep you all up on our news, the wonderful new changes to our operations, and how Comfort Food is quietly building on a stronger foundation than ever.

We began with the most crucial ingredient of all: amazing, exuberant and eager volunteers who understand what it is to fight critical illness, or to support those who do. They are the thickest, strongest, most binding layer to Comfort Food. They are the key ingredient that keeps our monthly meal preparations rolling, yields so many meals for families, spreads the word about our distribution partners and their amazing organizations, and brings recurring support to the small businesses we partner with to generate our meals. Without them, Comfort Food would crumble.

Every recipe must be created in a pan, a pot, a skillet...and we have found ours. In coming months, we'll be working with a variety of organizations to host our events in what will be a well-rounded meal: Comfort Food programs allowing for multiple meal preparation experiences in different venues.

Comfort Food, like any dish, must be served. We have partnered with The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati, and in coming months will be adding to that line-up as we increase the number of meals produced monthly.

But it is those key ingredients that keep us going. Along with our army of volunteers, we are working to build a Board with powerful, unique and wonderful individuals who will help Comfort Food develop as it should. With strength and a long future in mind.

A good dish isn't just an instant flash in a pan pulled from the oven. It takes time, building ingredients layer by layer....

Helping Those That Help Us

2011-02-09T07:33:00.001-08:00

Comfort Food is looking for help delivering meals to a faithful Ronald McDonald House Volunteer....

For many moons, Debbie Madlener has been helping families as a volunteer at Ronald McDonald House here in Cincinnati. Recently, she experienced her own medical crisis is now homebound and in need of meal support - let's work together to take that burden off her shoulders. She has done so much for others, it's time for Comfort Food to support her.

Please let me know if you are available to help deliver meals every other Monday to Debbie. If interested, I will forward additional details. (dena@hipskind.net or 317/903-9635)

"To the world, you are just one person. But to one person you may be the world."

This is your chance to make a direct difference in someone's life.

Time to prep!

2011-02-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

Looking forward to preparing meals tonight with all the participants of "Chow to the Chill"! And with no snow in the forecast for the first time since we began here in December, it looks like it may truly be a "Ciao" to the chill!

Stay warm...

How Does This Comfort Food Thing Work?

2011-02-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

As we grow and reach further into our area communities, it's pretty clear the word is out about Comfort Food. What better time than right now to explain a little more about the Comfort Food concept. Here it is in a nutshell...

Comfort Food raises funds to pay for all costs associated with the ingredients and packaging of healthy, unique meals.
We host a meal preparation event at the shop of our corporate sponsor: here in Cincinnati, it's Dream Dinners Anderson.
Volunteers gather to prepare meals and share a bit of camaraderie.
Meals are flash frozen to preserve vitamins and minerals, then delivered to our partnering organizations who give them directly to families fighting critical illness.
Meals can also be picked up and given by anyone who has identified a family or individual with a need for meal support while fighting critical illness.
Meals are taken and heated wherever a family or individual has access to a crock pot or oven. Meals can also be heated in our partnering organizations' kitchens to be served immediately.

Comfort Food is - and should always be - available for free to anyone experiencing medical adversity. We partner with support service organizations because it's the best way for us to identify those in medical crisis, however, if you know of someone who could benefit from Comfort Food while dealing with illness, we're here to do whatever it takes to support them.

Food is the ultimate human need, and yet the truest expression of compassion, love and support when given freely.

It's time....

2011-01-31T11:16:00.001-08:00

to say "Chow" to the chill!

Our next meal preparation event will take place this Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Dream Dinners. Join us for wine, hors d'ouvres and fun while we prepare meals for families fighting critical illness and celebrate that an end is *hopefully* in sight to this crazy winter weather!

For reservations, please contact dena@hipskind.net.

Hope to see you there!

Run

2011-01-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

I run.

When our youngest was born, we got to know our young family by training for our first marathon. We would strike out for our long runs pushing a single jogger with our oldest child and a double jogger with our younger two, and we would race each other and ourselves. Training for our bodies, for our health and for the challenge of being able to say "we ran a marathon". And we did. And we felt strong.

When Auggie was diagnosed as having Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome stemming from a silent battle with Neuroblastoma cancer, we made the conscious choice that rather than fall into a dark pit of despair, we would run. We would run the stairs of the hospitals, we would run with our two younger children alone in the double jogger while Auggie fought with the other parent in the hospital, and we would not stop until we got out of the hospital and "got our lives back". And we did. And we felt strong.

As our old life seemed to slip away from us amidst the medical claims not covered by insurance, a housing market gone bad, and a loss of the life we knew before, it became very difficult to dig out of our dark moments and get back on the streets. So rather, we packed up our old life and embarked on a new challenge. Survival. And we did. And we felt strong.

Now that we're tucked safe and sound in our hometown, reunited with a life where our youngest can live free from hospital visits, our three sons lead healthy, full lives, and we have a fresh and exhilarating future ahead, my husband and I decided it was time. We need to run another marathon to challenge ourselves and our bodies and reclaim the one thing that has remained through this long and winding journey of ours - running.

Today, I set out on my first solitary long run. Not with Jason, and not on a treadmill surrounded by our friends at the gym. I ran in the cold and snow and listened to my music rejoicing in the strength, and in the health and healing of Auggie who will be off all medications in April. Who has a lovely young life despite the hardships of those early years...

...and as I ran, I began to cry.

I became so overwhelmed. I can run out my front door, into the snow, alone with my music and rejoice in the freedom of it. A freedom I had lost for so long and in a blink it's back.

And yet, this weekend a mother lost her battle to cancer leaving three precious young children behind. Another has had to forgo her running so that she can sit with her daughter in the hospital while she battles relapse leukemia. So many lives affected by illness, and so many lives stalled in their fight. Sequestered in Oncology units, or homebound, or mired in the darkness of where to go next. My run today was an epiphany. It was a tap on my shoulder letting me know that though we've come through so much, we cannot forget where we've been.

I run.

And I no longer run for me. I run for Melissa. For Sue. For Karen. For Kristi. For Max. For Tillie. For Noah and Amanda. For Steve. For Ali. For Sean and Dale. For Jan....

And I will be strong for you.

The Fridge is Stocked!

2011-01-19T07:40:00.001-08:00

A Great Night with the Kilgour Elementary Crew...

Many thanks to the folks from Kilgour Elementary who helped us prepare meals for The Wellness Community last night. It was a wonderful menu and the "prep teams" made just under 40 meals in about 25 minutes!

This unique event not only supported Comfort Food and families experiencing critical illness, it raised funds for the Kilgour Elementary PTA.

It was a great evening filled with laughs....thanks to all who were able to attend!

Thank you, Greater Cincinnati Foundation!

2011-01-05T08:14:00.001-08:00

Comfort Food is pleased to announce that it is the proud recipient of a grant from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and special thanks to the Harmann Family for making this grant possible!

Because of this generous support, together we will provide as many as 500 people fighting critical illness with Comfort Food meals this spring.

Thank you, Harmann family.

Yule Tide and Tortellini....

2010-12-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation and excitement, the Comfort Food Cincinnati launch event is officially here!

Okay, perhaps it's mainly a lot of anticipation and excitement on my part, but I promise it will be a lovely, sweet, simple evening of preparing 50+ meals for families fighting critical illness in Greater Cincinnati. And thanks to our friends at Dream Dinners in Anderson (www.dreamdinners.com), the menu is wonderful (see right panel!) and will offer the best of comfort food to families this holiday season...when they need it most.

Comfort Food events are as I said: lovely, sweet, simple and fairly quick. As a group, we can typically prepare all 50 meals in roughly 90 minutes...but we also have an open door policy. If family obligations, children's sports, a late night at the office, or any other event should prevent you from arriving at 6:00 - or require you to leave early - simply hang up your apron and you're off.

Music, heavy hors d'ouvres (a full sampling of the Dream Dinners' Comfort Food menu we will be preparing) and beverages will be served to keep everyone happy, hydrated, and comfy.

The recipients of meals following this event will be families from The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati (www.cancer-support.org). Following the event, we will be delivering meals to their freezers at the Blue Ash facility. The meals will be pulled by cancer patients and families as they arrive for support groups, following a day of chemo, or they will be prepared by TWC staff to be served during support groups.

If you are not able to attend the event, but are interested in volunteering in another capacity, please don't hesitate to contact me directly at dena@hipskind.net.

This event marks Comfort Food's fourth year...and the start of many great years to come here in Cincinnati.

Hope to see you on the 14th!

Organization feeds a need in the community

2010-11-24T05:02:00.000-08:00

Organization feeds a need in the community

Numbers Don't Lie

2010-11-23T18:00:00.001-08:00

As I sat down to edit a new marketing piece about Comfort Food, I was reminded of our stats over the years.

To date we've...

Fed roughly 12,000 people
Hosted 40 events
Volunteers have prepared 2,000 meals
Winner of the 2007 Ronald McDonald House Charities "Helping Hands Award"
Winner of Creatathon design services in 2007
Featured in Women's World Magazine in 2010
We will launch the Comfort Food Chapter Program in 2010

Isn't it amazing what our communities can accomplish? Just think what we can do here in Cincinnati.

An Interesting Conundrum: Part III

2010-11-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

My conundrum continues: why is it so hard to get warm, healthy meals into the hands of families "on the inside" and in need? And yes, we'll term it as if families experiencing medical crisis in hospitals are prisoners because essentially they are. They are confined to a small cubicle space with little comfort items at hand, pitiful meal options, little natural light, exercise, or freedom for an indefinite amount of time. Sleeping takes place on a narrow mattress shoved into a corner with little bedding provided, and entire families often share the same small, cramped space. It continues to baffle me how primitive our healthcare living situations for families are, despite our medically superior technologies and advancements.

As Comfort Food began it's launch process here in Cincinnati, we worked so hard to reach into the area's medical facilities, or trenches, if you will. We had hoped to provide meals to inpatient families that were safe, healthy and free alternatives amidst such difficult circumstances. In the last year, we were not able to get phone calls or emails returned, and made little progress. We were able, however, to unite with fantastic organizations on the "outside", providing free support services to families facing critical illness. Wonderful partnerships that will help us reach those seeking support...but what about those families blindly walking through their days "on the inside" not knowing if their child will survive? Barely eating, sleeping and slipping into darkness mentally, emotionally and financially? How to care for them at the moment they need it most?

When a national television show offered us access to the "inside", we jumped at the opportunity to assist in producing a segment. The ability to bring our meals directly to the hands of those families! And when they helped us to receive all clearance into the medical facility, we embraced the opportunity to help where we know it's needed most. We worked hard to pull together a segment featuring one of the foremost medical facilities in the country showing compassion for families in crisis. It was incredible! Finally, with the help of a national television show, we would be able to reach the heart of what Comfort Food stands for.

And as quickly as the medical facility embraced us, our access was revoked and we were left with 70 comforting meals for families who now may be forced to consume fast food, if any meal at all, over the Thanksgiving holiday. We were heartbroken for those families....but after wrestling with this constant conundrum, was I surprised? Sadly, no.

This experience has forced me to dig deeper. It is obvious that if given the opportunity, people jump at the chance to help others. They throw down their daily chores and embrace those in need. If given the chance to experience what it's like "on the inside" through a national television program, would they act with overwhelming support? Yes, because that's what our society does. If given the opportunity to help, they will, and would likely overwhelm a very tightly buttoned, structured, and sterile system beyond their comfort and control. I understand there are families who desperately fear contamination from the outside for their immuno-suppressed child (I know because I have raised an immuno-suppressed child for the last 5 years), and if a warm meal in hand meant inadvertent unsafe contamination from a caring volunteer, would a mother forgo a warm meal for herself?

Yes. She would.

I understand now why my calls go unreturned, and my emails remain unanswered. And although conditions in most medical facilities are prison-like and horrendous for the families of sick children, it's part of the sacrifice that loving, caring families make so that their child can become well again. So that when it's time for those families to heal themselves after all they've been through, and they seek out the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities or The Wellness Community, they are ready to receive the support they need in the form of a warm, healthy, healing meal of Comfort Food.

It's Time to Celebrate!

2010-11-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe, but this holiday season marks the 4th birthday of Comfort Food. Much like a toddler making the turn to childhood, Comfort Food will also be making that leap from the baby years to the more independent and formidable childhood years. And this leap has not been without sleepless nights, terrible twos, and it's own set of infant challenges. But we've made it to this special birthday, and all of the challenges we've overcome make it all the sweeter.

In December of 2006, several families and I got together at our dear friend, Amy Hruskoci's meal prep shop and assembled our first 50 meals. It was a fantastic event that has led to hundreds more over the years...each yielding 50 or so meals for families fighting critical illness. Quite a remarkable feat.

This December, Comfort Food will officially launch in Cincinnati to support families fighting critical illness and seeking support through The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Cincinnati. We firmly believe in the quality of support these wonderful organizations give to families in need (my family is a Ronald McDonald House alum!) and we strive to do what we can to support not only the families dependent on these organizations, but their volunteers who donate precious hours of time in service. If we can lift the burden of preparing a meal from the shoulders of a family, or a volunteer so they may better support a family in need, we've been true to our mission.

By partnering with organizations already in place and serving families, we ensure our meals make it directly into the hands of families knee-deep in the fight of their lives. The lovely byproduct of all of this is that we also unify our community around these struggling families. We support small business owners and their meal preparation shops. And we educate all of those we touch about the support service organizations and all they do, about what it's like to face medical crisis, and what it's like to live life after you've slogged through the trenches of a war with a critical illness. Fear, fight, grieve, heal. It's a process we will all face in life, and we shouldn't have to do it alone.

Comfort Food's ability to connect the dots in our system, and therefore fill gaps, is unique and unprecedented. It's simple. We're here to quietly support others so they may succeed in achieving our one common goal: to comfort families in medical crisis.

Comfort Food. We all need it.

"Like a Phoenix from the Breadcrumbs"

2010-07-15T08:56:00.001-07:00

I could not have put it better than my dear friend, Michele. Yes, Comfort Food appears to be rising from the ashes...ahem...breadcrumbs. It really is remarkable how amazing things happen when they're ready. And it is a pleasure to be the vehicle helping to make all this magic a reality.

Work has begun on the official launch of Comfort Food Cincinnati in October. Distribution partners are being lined up, and a warm welcome to our first official Cincy distribution partner: The Wellness Community! (www.thewellnesscommunity.org/cincinnati/) We are thrilled to be working with such a wonderful community organization...after all, Comfort Food's goal is to unite and educate the community so that we can provide for those around us who need it most.

Over the next few weeks, a flurry of activity will be taking place. The Comfort Food website will be revamped to reflect our current contact information, events, partnerships, and offer an online donation function. We will be meeting with new distribution partners here in Cincinnati - those organizations eager to distribute meals to folks in need within the cancer and major medical community of Cincinnati. We will also be meeting with our newest meal preparation partners, many of whom we will be featuring over the next months so you can get to know them, their stories and their shops. Additionally, we will be paying tribute to those that have helped Comfort Food Indy in the past because you will be seeing them again!

Fly, phoenix, fly.

An Interesting Conundrum: Part II

2010-01-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

With preparations rolling for our first Comfort Food Cincy Event well underway, I have been working diligently to secure our distribution partnerships. We have volunteers cooking...now to get the meals into the hands of families that need them. Calls, emails, more calls, voicemails, and more emails, all to no avail. Here, in this amazing medical city, with an amazing medical center and millions experiencing the fear and frustration of a life revolving around medical care, I can't find an organization who is in touch with the underserved and willing to take on free meals. Why? I hope to learn the answer to that question. Why is it hard for a support service organization to accept support? I can only suppose that it must be odd for a person to show up on your doorstep with prepared meals for free in hand to help you, an organization helping others. But that's the glorious beauty of Comfort Food, and the something that makes it magical. Unconditional giving....

Our family was forced to forgo meals due to the financial constraints of a major medical crisis. We are here to see that nobody else has to.

An Interesting Conundrum: Part I

2010-01-20T17:22:00.001-08:00

We are eight months into life in our new city of Cincinnati...which isn't really new at all to our family as my husband and I were raised here. We have, however, chosen to enjoy this amazing city from a completely different perspective this go-round. Which is inevitable when considering the long and winding road of the last 15 years that circled around and brought us back to our hometown....

When we left Cincinnati in the early days of our marriage, my husband and I were eager to learn all there was to learn about urban life in a "real" city - keep in mind, you never consider the city you grew up in as a "real" city. Our fast-tracked careers took us to Chicago, then the beginnings of our family took us to Indianapolis. We invested wholeheartedly in both cities, getting to know every nook and cranny, understanding the rough parts that go hand-in-hand with the buffered ones. We've always been very realistic and have embraced every aspect of life, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Chicago showed us the enormity of the world that we had missed in our little enclave of Cincinnati's east side. It was a little scary to my husband and I as very naive, career driven twenty-somethings. But we soon became comfortable with the many fibers that, woven together, form a very rich culture. And we loved it.

Years later, when our first son was getting to the point of walking, we traded in the urban lifestyle for a rural one in a small town just North of Indianapolis. We delved into our new town learning it's history, taking up gardening, and generally becoming immersed in suburban life with open space. It was a nice fit until our third and youngest son's diagnosis of Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome, a rare cancer-related disorder. With this diagnosis began countless trips back into cities, and even more importantly, into the medical centers of cities.

When we began chemo, we were thrown back into that dark, yet richly textured world that we had been missing in our little rural suburb. We met and grew to befriend families from all over the world. Families from middle-class America like ourselves, and those from the streets. We also delved even deeper into a darkness far more expansive than that which we had experienced on the streets of Chicago: medical strife.

The world of critical illness and medical adversity knows only two classifications: wealthy and poor. If you cannot afford a private jet to fly you to a hospital of your choice, you are typically bundled into that "poor" bracket - despite the fact that your family income might be six figures annually. It doesn't matter. Healthcare is really interesting that way. I digress. As we traveled from hospital to hospital around the country, we began to identify a singular, recurring need. Food. We could see it, because with all our medical costs (we of course did not qualify for government assistance, had capped our corporate coverage, and had a rare diagnosis to boot so few of our treatments were covered without months - or years - of dispute) we were growing hungry ourselves. We spent our dwindling funds traveling the country to find doctors who could help our declining son. And we met so many people walking the same path. And they were hungry, too.

When our path finally gave way to a genuine road, and our little guy appeared to be somewhat stable, we set out to fill the one gap we identified in our travels. The need for a healthy meal at the end of the day for every family facing medical adversity and a battle with critical illness.

We formed Comfort Food in December 2006.

It began so simply, and the food we prepared and donated filled the gaps in the medical community of Indianapolis brilliantly. We quickly found solid partnerships with organizations such as Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, The Wellness Community, and smaller organizations such as the EMBRACE program that provided support services to destitute women experiencing cancer alone. We were able to provide a service that helped those that already helped others. Volunteers weren't scrambling to create meals, they simply heated ours for others so that they could assist in other ways. On nights when the meal prep roster was empty, our meals were served to families after long days at the hospital. When a mother faced a 9 hour day of chemo with her child, she could go home with one of our meals to prepare quickly for her family tucked under her arm.

As our first Cincinnati Comfort Food event began to morph out of a need to build community, I began to search for those distribution partnerships here in our hometown and newest favorite city. I quickly learned that unlike Chicago - or Indianapolis - the support provided to those experiencing adversity in Cincinnati is ...... well, different.

A Time to Heal

2009-10-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Since 2006, Comfort Food has been providing meals to families fighting critical illness and medical adversity. Through our meal preparation partnerships with My Girlfriend’s Kitchen, Dream Dinners, Dinner By Design, Supper Solutions and A Dinner A’Fare, we have prepared over 8,000 servings and distributed meals through our partnerships with The Wellness Community-Central Indiana, Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute, Wishard Hospital’s Embrace Program, Ronald McDonald House of Indiana and countless individuals and families. Comfort Food has given the people of central Indiana a special way to support those struggling through what is often the fight of their lives.

As many of you know, Comfort Food was born out of experiences in our fight for the health of our youngest son, Auggie. To all of those that have helped Comfort Food since 2006, we cannot begin to thank you enough for each and every meal prepared, delivered and given with love. It is your generosity that helped provide us with the vision and support that ultimately comforted each of those 8,000+ family members over the last three years.

Unfortunately, with all the amazing things that have occurred at Comfort Food, behind the scenes there have been some bumps in the road as well. Dealing with a rare critical illness typically results in soaring medical costs, challenges to the family unit, and added insurmountable stress…and our family has not been exempt from all of this. In 2009, we have been presented with some of our hardest challenges yet. This spring we sold our home in Indiana to help with ongoing medical costs. We moved closer to our family and a hospital in Ohio where we could continue providing the best possible medical support for Auggie, and we began to heal the many emotional wounds our family has endured over the last several years. With these changes, it has become very apparent changes must also be made to support Comfort Food as it deserves to be supported.

Our family’s mantra this year has been “change is good”, and so far we have not been proven wrong. The changes our family has made have resulted in a healthy, happy brood of boys, a strong family bond and a bright future. This mantra also applies to Comfort Food, we firmly believe.

Over the next year, Comfort Food will be undergoing a bit of "healing" of it's own. We will be working to establish a healthy fundraising plan, a hearty volunteer corps, and a fresh operational structure so that we can continue to support those that need us not only in Indiana, but in our new home of Ohio as well. And we are confident that a healthy, hearty Comfort Food can reach well beyond our geographic boundaries. After all, there are families dealing with critical illness throughout our nation's communities, and if we can help eliminate at least one burden from their shoulders in what is likely the most difficult time of their lives...we will.

With sincerest love, thanks and appreciation,

Dena

Dena Hipskind
Founder and President

Apres Easter Comfort Food

2009-04-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Croque Monsieur (strata-style)

Leftover ham, eggs, dinner rolls and other odds and ends from the Easter holiday? I concocted this strata-like dish today based on the Croque Monsieurs I enjoyed while at brasseries in Paris. It's also a great comfort food meal...with a white sauce base, or bechemal sauce, it coats the tummy and gives you that warm, cozy feeling. In a dish like this, pretty much anything can get layered on to make it a healthy meal. It will also freeze well if you'd like to gift it to someone you know who could really use the comfort of a warm meal.

6 Ham slices, cubed

1 Loaf of bread or equivalent of rolls, cubed

3 hard boiled eggs, cubed

1 cup gruyere cheese (or for those with more American tastes, cheddar works well)

Bechemal sauce (see recipe below)

1/2 c. onion (diced or dried flakes)

salt and pepper to taste

Butter a 9"x13" glass baking dish and layer bread, ham, hard boiled eggs and whatever other ingredients you've got to add. Top with shredded cheese. Don't forget the onion, salt and pepper! Preheat oven to 350.

Bechemal sauce: in a saucepan, melt 2T butter and add 2T flour. Wisk until you have a nice roux, then slowly add 2 cups of milk. Stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour bechemal sauce over the layered ingredients and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce bubbles and cheese begins to turn golden.

***Please keep in mind that I am not a trained chef, nor am I an overly organized person. This recipe leaves lots of room for tweaking (I would recommend it!). Makes a great main dish, or serve with a green salad.

ENJOY!

Reflections

2009-04-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Today was a seemingly unremarkable Easter with family and our three boys laughing, running, and hunting eggs. And as I watched Auggie, something made me stop and absorb every bit of it. Today was the first time Auggie could carry his own basket without falling because of his ataxia. He ran steadily to each egg without spilling all of his eggs because of his vertigo. His eyes were able to focus on each egg rather than bouncing in his head from his nystagmus. He was able to point, shout and giggle. He was able to walk. He was able to talk. He could look at me in the eyes and smile and say, "Mommy! The Easter Bunny was here!"

It was a very symbolic day that made me reflect back to our Easters prior spent in small, cramped hospital rooms. We were unfortunate enough to spend Easter in the hospital in our journey to get Auggie well, and I will never forget the experience. It was like prison - we could not leave, we could not have visitors, and yet we watched helplessly as all of our doctors laughed together and exited one by one for their family trips to warm climates...or simply to their own homes to be with their own families. It was scary lonely. And in so many cases, families must divide to maintain "normal" for the remaining family members at home trying to get through the trauma of fighting critical illness. Those goodbyes are by far the worst for an already fractured family. For us, it was the pain of knowing that our two older boys were alone together back home with grandparents, but separated from us on such a special day. The empty corridors and the frustration at desperately needing tests and having them put off until the doctors returned on Monday only added more emotions to an already difficult time...

And yet, today, Auggie rose up in his easter clothes and ran around the yard like any healthy toddler having little recollection of those times. And I was reminded with a little mental tap that there are so many experiencing Easter in the hospitals today. So this post is to let those of you in that isolating place on Easter know that you're not alone.

Max, next Easter your mom and dad will watch you hunt eggs with Alex and Ellie in your backyard and your bone marrow transplant will have done all it was supposed to. And you will all be together and this will seem like such a distant memory....

....and Karen, as you all get through today having chemo ahead and behind you, know that you are loved and admired and thought of by those that have been through this. And you will be inspiration to those that have to go through it in the future....

Though these times may seem unending and unbearable, they are the fabric that wrap around us and lift us up to become stronger, healthier and greater than before. Before you know it, this time will merely be a reflection of where you've been.

With our warmest thoughts on Easter.

Announcing our new Directors!

2009-03-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Comfort Food is thrilled to announce the appointment of Erin Meaux and Sara Nihart as Comfort Food Indy's Executive Co-Directors

Comfort Food has appointed Erin Meaux and Sara Nihart as Executive Co-Directors of Comfort Food Indy. This new appointment will allow Comfort Food to provide better quality service to it's distribution partners and to grow much larger operationally throughout central Indiana. These two amazing women are familiar faces to Comfort Food as they made their debut at Comfort Food's inaugural fundraiser, "A Night at Home with Comfort Food" and have been staunch supporters ever since! We welcome them graciously and embrace their vision for Comfort Food Indy.

As Erin and Sara hit the ground running, Dena Hipskind, Comfort Food founder and president, will begin Comfort Food Cincy. Stay tuned for further announcements regarding the launch of this newest Comfort Food project.

If you are interested in learning more about Comfort Food Indy, please contact Erin (317.332.0232) or Sara (317.507.4638). For more information about Comfort Food Cincy, please contact Dena (317.903.9635).

As always, thanks for your support! We hope to see you soon....

Thank you St. Rose of Lima!

2009-02-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

A million thanks to the 6th, 7th and 8th graders of St. Rose of Lima - a private junior high school in Frankfort, Indiana. These amazing students raised $600 and then prepared meals for patients of the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute and Jill's House in Bloomington, Indiana.

The event was a blast, and many patients of MPRI will be thrilled to taste the meals from our newest meal preparation partner, A Dinner A'Fare in Greenwood, Indiana. A big thanks to the amazing owner of the shop, Rhonda, who went out of her way to make us all feel so welcome.

We look forward to many fun Greenwood events to come! Thank you, of course, goes out to Asha who's brother is fighting a valiant battle against cancer and inspired so many this week.

On behalf of Comfort Food, thank you students, teachers and parents of St. Rose. We look forward to crossing paths with you all again very soon!

2008-11-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

Slow food = faster healing.

When Auggie began chemotherapy at 18 months old, our mission as a family was to find a way that we could help him in his fight. We soon learned the importance of a natural and organic diet and immediately began planning our "victory garden" - a garden ten yards from our kitchen door that would generate enough organic vegetables to feed our family through the months of Auggie's chemo.

We had no idea how healing our little garden would become during that difficult summer. Despite the long hours at the hospital, and my inability to weed and properly water it, we still enjoyed consistent yields (though we had to search for them among the weeds and wildflowers!). The kids would wander the paths looking for strawberries and cherry tomatoes, and would test raw green beans and other vegetables straight from the vines. We were able to make our own pasta sauces and often had "rainbow plates" at dinner with all the colors coming from the fruits and vegetables of our little backyard garden. Our time spent in the garden that summer was the ultimate therapy - we would sit and munch and laugh in the warm sun, seemingly eons away from hospital corridors and IV lines.

As we continue to struggle through periodic relapses and treatments with Auggie, one thing has remained constant in our healing process - our garden. It has often been the only constant in our ever-changing search for normalcy amidst the changes thrown at us by Auggie's disorder. When I remember back to that first chemo summer, however, I am always warmed by thoughts of soft soil, gentle quiet, and summer sun on our kids' strawberry-smeared faces. The ultimate therapy.

Comfort Food offers meal support to families in medical crisis...and we strive to do that in natural, organic, and healthy ways so that we can help those with weakened bodies and weakened spirits heal as quickly as possible. As we continue to prepare meals and cook food for those struggling, we look forward to those days when we might offer those families and patients their own little piece of summer heaven - walking the rows of wildflowers and veggies, eating berries and experiencing the ultimate escape from those hospital corridors.

For more information about slow food, go to www.slowfoodusa.org , or plant your own garden to experience the ultimate therapy to nourish body and soul.

From the Founder:

2008-09-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

When Comfort Food began in December 2006, it wasn't a well-planned strategic creation launched to great fanfare. It began simply, in Unit 2A at Riley Hospital for Children, with two sets of parents wrought with exhaustion and fear for their little ones' health, and existing on whatever food they could find the time to purchase at the hospital cafeteria, or pull out of the bins in the Unit 2A kitchenette. It began with one of those couples being lucky enough to have neighbors and friends that surprised them with warm, home-cooked meals which they were able to bring back to 2A and share with other parents living on graham crackers and applesauce while sleeping on the unit's lounge couches. It began when the parents of all those rooms on that unit gathered in the unit hallways to connect and share their children's experiences, how they ended up in Unit 2A, and where they would eventually make their way home to...all while holding a warm plate of our neighbor's chicken and broccoli bake, or our friend's homemade chili.

When Comfort Food began, it was simply a parent identifying a space in our system that needed to be filled. By partnering with others that recognized that need, such as Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, Comfort Food was able to help not only those on Unit 2A, but families coming from all over the state and nation for treatment in Indianapolis. Ronald McDonald House had space to fill with the meals produced by Comfort Food, and so it continued to grow...providing meals for 2 weeks to Riley families...2 months....and then 2 years. As we approach our second anniversary this December, we are thrilled that we have put warm, nourishing comfort food into the hands of nearly 6,000 people through our partnerships with not only Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, but with many other wonderful organizations that began similarly: with one person's identification of a need and their call to others to fill it.

In honoring Joe Meares, Christine Held and Tina McIntosh at "A Night at Home with Comfort Food", we are celebrating three founders that have also experienced a need in our community. Whether it was as a father connecting other fathers with a Down Syndrome child, a mother eager to find ways to fund research for autism, or even a young college student working at an internship and recognizing a need for care providers. In essence, these three amazing individuals have sounded a Dinner Bell, calling others to their tables to share comfort and cameraderie so that they might leave that table feeling satiated, supported, and able to move forward stronger than when they sat down.

On behalf of Comfort Food, we are pleased to recognize those that have made a difference in our communities. Congratulations Joe, Chris and Tina.

Introducing...our honorees!

2008-09-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Comfort Food is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural "Dinnerbell Award", celebrating those that have indentified a need and have used their courage and creativity to fill it. In essence, these honorees have sounded their own dinnerbell, calling others to the table to gather and gain strength from their experiences. To each of our awardees, thank you for all that you have done to support and inspire others.

Joe Meares: D.A.D.S Founder (Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome)
In the spring of 2002, eight men met (some for the first time) in a restaurant in Indianapolis, IN. Brought together by the notion of their founder, Joe Meares, that as the father of a child with Down syndrome, they could do more than just set up tables and cook hotdogs at their local Buddy Walks. What they experienced at that first meeting was an excitement and energy that carries through to this day; the idea that as fathers they could make a significant contribution to improve the lives of their children – and all individuals with Down syndrome – by working together. Those original eight men remain good friends, and have been joined by many new friends from all over the US and beyond; including Canada, Australia and the UK. The mission of D.A.D.S. is to assist and support, through fellowship and action, the fathers and families of individuals with Down syndrome. http://www.dadsnational.org/

Chris Held: Former President, Current Treasurer, and Founding Member of Autism Advocates of Indiana, Inc.
AAI was founded by a group a mothers of children with autism, because they could see the need for more community awareness for our children's safety and acceptance. They attended the National Autism Rally in Washington, D.C. in 1999 and heard that the occurrence of autism was on the rise and funding was pretty much non-existent. They decided they needed to help all children in the State of Indiana, not just their own. To do this, they planned an event to raise money, and insure that the funds would go to the people that were trying to help children with autism in our State and to contribute to the National Research organizations to help find better treatments and causes. Their first walk on Sept. 8th, 2001 (3 days before Sept 11th) brought in almost $80,000. They then took the huge leap of faith becoming a 501c3 and making their event an annual fund raiser. They now sponsor an annual 1-mile family friendly event that has raised over a half million dollars in eight years. The money goes to non-profit groups that work with or support individuals with autism, and to national research foundations. They now have approximately 600 children with autism attend their walk with their families each year. AAI's mission is to increase and broaden public knowledge and awareness of the behaviors, social issues, and emotional needs of individuals on the autism spectrum so that all individuals can participate in and contribute to our community without fear, bias or loss of individuality. http://www.aaiwalk.org/

Tina McIntosh: President and CEO of Joy's House
Tina McIntosh first became interested in the idea of opening an adult day service when she volunteered at a center in Muncie, Indiana, as a freshman at Ball State University. One Master's degree and ten years later, she found the courage to leave her successful job as an event planner and began the complicated process of opening an adult day center. As she shared her dream with others, she could see the passion grow inside of them. Before she knew it, people began to support her dream, and many formed the Board of Directors, Board Advisors and committee members for what we now know as Joy's House. At Joy's House we Serve Guests and their caregivers; we Advocate on behalf of adults with special needs and their caregivers; and we Enrich the lives of Guests, their caregivers and the broader community with our programming and educational opportunities. http://www.joyshouse.org/

2008-09-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

So you've purchased your tickets, are gearing up for whatever Indiana's weather has in store for us, and are looking forward to the big night. The next question is probably, "what is this all about?" Here are some sneak peeks to get you excited!

wMany of you may have seen his face around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in interviews with various media celebrities, or cruising around Business at the Brickyard on a golfcart...our friend and wonderful supporter, Sam Foley of Brickyard Crossing golf resort will be challenging us all to a little friendly golf competition!

oIf you are like most, you see "silent auction" on the program and wonder what you'll find on the auction tables. Well, for those that have longed for time on a posh resort island with fabulous golf and a great spa...have we got an auction item for you! How about a week at Daufuskie Island Resort and Spa in a brand-new, four suite home on the 5th tee of a Jack Nicklaus designed oceanfront course that is only a short golf cart ride to the beach? That's right...golf carts will be waiting for you at the house to take you from the course to the beach for the full week! You can learn more about Daufuskie Island at www.daufuskieislandresort.com - and stay tuned for a sneak peek photo tour of the house!

-Finally, it wouldn't be a Comfort Food event if we didn't talk about hope, strength and inspiration. Something we all need when facing tough times and something we admire in those that seem to face the toughest challenges and come out stronger and ready to help others. Our three Dinnerbell Award recipients and their stories will inspire you. Stay tuned as we post their bios and information about their organizations this week.

We can't wait to see you on the 27th!

A Day in Their Shoes

2008-07-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

My oldest son had his first evening of soccer practice tonight...for a soccer family like ours, it was a big occasion and one that we've all been talking about for weeks. We have been thrilled and anxious to participate, so late this afternoon I packed up all three of our boys (Jake 8, Owen 5, and our Auggie 3) and trekked to the fields. Within minutes of arriving, Auggie threw his first tantrum and began running after Owen screaming at the top of his lungs and trying to bite him. As I juggled soccer balls, water bottles, toys, and various other mom-necessities, I quickly handed Auggie a handful of hot wheels cars as a diversion. Anything to stop the screaming! Now the other parents were starting to turn with those sideways glances of 'why can't that woman stop that child from crying'. The cars did the trick and we had a silent moment as my oldest sprinted out with the rest of his clubmates onto the field. I was so glad to be at the start of the practice and actually attempted to make conversation with another parent...a rare luxury! It was at that moment that Auggie was provoked and launched his handful of cars blindly, hitting another mother in the leg. I scrambled to apologize and pick up the cars, but as I made eye contact, I got "the look". That annoyed and disgusted look of 'obviously you have no control of your children and you are not someone I ever want to associate with'. She even turned to the woman she had been talking to and whispered, "Can you believe that? Let's go over HERE and talk...".

Yep, just another day in the life.

Now, as I sit with Auggie tucked snugly into bed with the older boys playing quietly, I would give anything to find that woman. To look her in the eye and tell her this: "My son Auggie has been fighting a cancer-related auto-immune disorder since he went into encephalopathic shock at 15 months. They didn't think he'd make it through the night, but he did. He survived with the abilities of a 4 month old. Since that time he has suffered chemotherapy and immunotherapy every month. He has been forced to sit while needles are stuck into his arms regularly, and has silently received 9 hours of infusion in a chemo ward on a regular basis. Right now he is on heavy dose steroids, and as he wung those cars at your leg, it was out of blind frustration, fear and pain over what those steroids are causing his tiny 3 year-old body to feel."

Before you cast that disdainful look on the cashier at Target, or the mother of the naughty kid at the park that just bit yours...take a second. Remember that everyone has a story. Honestly, someday you may find yourself in their shoes and will understand what it's like to get that look....

...or what it's like to be that parent that walked up to me afterward, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Let me help. My son struggled when he was a little guy and I know just the trick."

Take a moment.

2008-05-30T14:38:00.001-07:00

Many of you may remember our "Spring into Action: The Power of our Community" post a few months ago about the Treinen family and their fight to raise funds for a bone marrow transplant for their teenage son, Michael. In a matter of hours, small Indiana communities rallied around the Treinens to generously contribute funds in the amount of $700,000 to send Michael to Seattle for a bone marrow transplant. It was an extraordinary act symbolic of what "community" is all about. Not only did this wonderful family share their story with hundreds - even thousands - of people, we all did what we could to offer them courage, support and praise for their brave act.

On May 25, as Michael left our world and entered a place of peace, he left behind a legacy of community that we should never forget. There is great power in our communities, in sharing our struggles with others so that they might lend strength when we need it most. Our prayers continue to be with the Treinen family, and we should all take a moment to thank Michael for the gift he left behind.

Thank You Comfort Food Volunteers!

2008-05-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

To all of you wonderful volunteers that stepped forward to prepare Comfort Food meals Friday, and on behalf of The Wellness Community of Central Indiana (http://www.twc-indy.org/) and the cancer patients they support...

THANK YOU!

By spending your Friday evening with Comfort Food, you provided a warm meal to individuals fighting cancer and helped make their struggle just a little easier.

Special thanks to Stacey Hiller (pictured) and Amy Work, owners of Dream Dinners, who so generously provided use of their facility for our event.

An Early Memorial Day...

2008-04-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

As we head into this weekend of late April, let us take a moment to remember those that we have lost to the ravages of a medical crisis. May we use their experiences, their grace, and their gifts to care for others experiencing similar circumstances right now...and may we never forget what it is to feel comforted, from near or far, anonymously or by a loved one, by the simple act of giving a warm meal.

This is dedicated to those families grieving this weekend - we are with you. And to those remembering loved ones lost, as well as those fighting through their own medical crisis, we love and support you all.

It is my sincerest hope that Comfort Food can help, if even just a little, in what is a very difficult time.

Dena

Comfort Food Announces Partnership with Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute and Jill’s House, Bloomington

2008-04-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Comfort Food has partnered with Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) in Bloomington, Ind., to support families undergoing treatment at their facility as well as individuals staying at Jill’s House while receiving treatment at MPRI. The inaugural meal preparation event to benefit MPRI families and individuals is scheduled for Saturday, April 19, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Supper Solutions, 2616 Walnut Street, Bloomington.

“We are always looking for partnering organizations that help us reach out to as many families as possible,” says Dena Hipskind, founder and president of Comfort Food. “By partnering with MPRI, we can offer meal support to families who travel from all over the state of Indiana and beyond to receive this cutting-edge cancer treatment.”

Comfort Food is an organization that joins meal preparation franchises with community volunteers to create meals that are then distributed to families dealing with a medical crisis through their distribution partners and volunteers. “This partnership allows us to support patients undergoing treatment at MPRI and their families; but most importantly, it gives us the opportunity to educate the public about this wonderful cancer treatment option that we are so fortunate to have right here in Indiana,” Hipskind notes.

Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute, an affiliate of the Clarian Health Network and the Indiana University School of Medicine, is one of only five centers in the country delivering proton radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients. Proton therapy precisely targets tumors, sparing more of the surrounding healthy tissues typically damaged in regular radiation treatments. The treatment is especially effective in treating tumors found at the base of the skull, brain, and prostate. It also is particularly effective in treating many pediatric cancers. Because this treatment requires a very unique piece of equipment, a cyclotron, MPRI works with Indiana University’s Cyclotron facility to operate its medical clinic. Jill’s House, currently being built in memory of Indiana University student Jill Behrman, will begin offering Comfort Food meals to its guests upon building completion later this summer.

"This truly is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” states Amanda Burnham, manager of marketing and development for MPRI.” The MPRI staff members and patients will volunteer for the first prep session. “It would be wonderful to have other organizations and businesses in Bloomington participate in the prep sessions,” adds Burnham. “It is a great way to build awareness about MPRI and to make a difference for our patients who make Bloomington their home away from home.”

Comfort Food has donated a freezer to MPRI and plans to stock it through monthly prep events to be held at Supper Solutions in Bloomington. “The opportunity to partner with Comfort Foods and MPRI to bring much needed support to families going through difficult medical times is something we at Supper Solutions feel honored to be a part of,” remarks Kirsten Prange, owner and operator of the Bloomington meal preparation franchise. “A warm meal at the end of a day is a wonderful thing for anyone, but is especially important for those working through a tough time.”

If you would like to support the Comfort Food initiative, please visit www.comfortingfamilies.blogspot.org or contact Dena Hipskind directly at 317.903.9635 or via e-mail at dena@hipskind.net. More information about Supper Solutions can be found at www.suppersolutionsinc.com. To learn more about cancer treatment options at MPRI, visit www.mpri.org or call 866-ITS.MPRI.

Spring Into Action

2008-04-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Power of Our Community

Many of you have probably taken part in watching the Treinen miracle unfold this week. It is such a sweet and wonderful reminder that we are not alone, and if we reach out for help, our communities will answer.

For those of you who are not familiar, the Treinen family learned last May that their 18 year-old son, Michael, had a rare form of leukemia. After facing aggressive treatments, the family was blessed with the news that Michael had reached remission. Michael applied and was accepted into college, and it looked like the Treinens had fought and won a sudden and frightening battle.

Michael and his family were recently told his leukemia had returned, only this time it would take a complicated medical procedure to fight it into submission. The family prepared for the fight, only to find that their insurance provider was not prepared to pay as Michael had reached his maximum coverage for his lifetime. In fear and desperation, the Treinens reached out to the community by blasting an email to friends and family sharing their story and asking for small donations to make the surgery and expenses a reality. The response was amazing - shocking, really. Since the email hit cyberspace this week, the family had received nearly $500,000 to cover their medical expenses. In addition, they were approved for coverage from additional healthcare sources and wrote a check for the full amount of Michael's surgery before the end of this week. The road ahead for Michael is still long and uncertain, but he will be able to travel it knowing he has hundreds, even thousands, of friends, family, and wellwishers that all care for him and want to give him a fighting chance. We all support you and your family, Michael. Safe travels!

This story exemplifies the power that we all have, joined as a community, to change a future. The Treinens, unfortunately, are not alone in this struggle. Hundreds of families experience these difficult situations in their daily battle against a life-threatening medical diagnosis. Sadly, they are often left not only to fight their disease, but to battle insurance companies, finances, and outlying costs with little support. My husband and I have shared in these struggles - anyone dealing with extensive medical treatment most likely has.

Let the Treinen's story continue beyond their journey to Seattle. Let's learn from what our communities were able to accomplish in one short week, and let's reach into the lives of others fighting similar battles and support them. Together we can offer respite in the form of Comfort Food and cameraderie to show those fighting that they are loved and not far from our thoughts.

In other words, let's continue to make miracles happen.

Comfort Food Stats and Facts

2008-03-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

For everyone that has given time to produce and prepare Comfort Food meals, been the recipient of a meal or two, or has wondered what we've done in this first year - here is a quick rundown!

To date, we have:

Fed 4,524 folks
Prepared 754 meals
Hosted 15 prep events
Welcomed 382 volunteers to prepare meals
Produced 1500 newsletters
Received 501(c)3 status
Received 2007 CreateAthon services
Received the 2007 Ronald McDonald House Helping Hands Award
Supported small business in our communities through our partnerships with meal preparation franchises
Given unlimited support to our charitable distribution partners

It's been a pretty amazing first year, hasn't it?

Another Great Event!

2008-03-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to everyone that was able to make it to our March event...and for those that couldn't, we know you were there in spirit! We were able to prepare 50 meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House at Riley Hospital for Children, the Ronald McDonald House downtown, as well as The Wellness Community-Central Indiana. These meals will be distributed over the next two weeks, so if you would like to follow them into the hands of the families receiving them, let me know and we can add you to our distribution team!

Thank you to Crosspoint for making this wonderful event possible.

Photos from the event are posted below.

One of Those "Moments"

2008-03-02T11:21:00.001-08:00

For all those families that have experienced a medical trauma, you understand the emotional paralysis felt when your world is turned unexpectedly upside down. It's nearly impossible to manage even the simplest tasks that we all take for granted...which is why Comfort Food came into being. To take at least one task from the shoulders of those experiencing an upside down world by providing a warm, healthy, comforting meal at a time when it's needed but the effort of cooking seems insurmountable.

This weekend Comfort Food was blessed with another of those "moments" where our existence was absolutely validated. Many of you have heard me share this story, but to those tireless volutneers that show up without hesitation at each prep event, shuttle meals for us around town, and donate time and energy to our organization...it's so important to share these stories because they make all our efforts worthwhile.

I received a call this weekend about a young mother whose daughter had just been admitted emergently to Riley oncology. The eight year-old daughter had experienced some hip pain last week. The family pediatrician saw them and immediately sent the mother and daughter from southern Indiana to Riley where they received diagnosis that the child had a 10% chance of survival and they must begin treatment immediately. It happend that fast. Upon speaking with the mother this weekend, she asked for two things: prayer and a warm meal. It was after visiting hours when we spoke, so I directed her to Ronald McDonald House where she would find Comfort Food meals warm and ready to eat, and a reprieve from her fear and discomfort.

I want you all to know that the meals we put together are so much more than just food in a pan. They offer strength to mothers like this, who are facing some of the most difficult circumstances in their lives and simply want someone to take care of them. They bring other parents in similar situations together at Ronald McDonald House and are a symbol that life will go on. But most of all, they offer so much peace in such a simple way.

And to think we all gathered together to produce something so powerful. On behalf of mothers like this one, thanks.

What We've Been Up To

2008-02-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

Since our last event, Comfort Food has been working behind the scenes to set the stage for a wonderful 2008 of giving, connecting, cooking and comforting...

This spring we will be installing freezers in The Wellness Community-Central Indiana's new facility in Indianapolis, and the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute and Jill's House in Bloomington. We welcome our newest meal preparation partners, Dinner By Design in Fishers, and Supper Solutions in Bloomington who will help us keep these freezers stocked!

We have finalized the "new and improved" Comfort Food newsletter which will be distributed with our meals through each of our distribution partners, as well as our meal preparation partners and area medical facilities. Ultimately this publication will hit mailboxes throughout central Indiana. If you would be interested in advertising in our newsletter, please contact me at 317.903.9635 for more information.

Our fundraiser is in the planning stages, but promises to be totally unique! We hope to launch this event in late spring. Stay tuned for details.

Finally, to all of you wonderful and amazingly devoted volunteers that have offered your expertise, insight and assistance, we will be posting volunteer opportunities on this blog regularly and invite anyone and everyone to jump in!

We are looking forward to a fantastic year of offering comfort to those around us.

Welcome to the Comfort Food Blog

2008-02-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

As our tight-knit group of volunteers and supporters grows, it seemed the best way to keep everyone up to date with Comfort Food's growth and development was via blog - allowing up to the minute updates and information about what we do, how we do it, and how you can be a part of the spirit of helping others.

We gather monthly to work together to prepare meals for families and individuals experiencing a medical crisis. It is something we feel passionate about, as many of our volunteers have found themselves in a hospital or medical center with a scary diagnosis, a prolonged treatment schedule, or in my case, with a child near death and in need of all of the above. It is in those times that neighbors, family, and friends show their love and support through the delivery of a home-cooked meal to the doorstep. That is Comfort Food...people preparing meals out of love to support those fighting through circumstances they cannot control.

We hope to see you at our next event!

Dena

Dena Hipskind
Comfort Food Founder and President
dena@hipskind.net
317.903.9635