Culinary Angels is the only Tri-Valley nonprofit that delivers free of charge healing, nutrient-rich meals and nutrition education to cancer patients. Anyone of any age or income level who is going through a cancer challenge is eligible to have organic meals delivered to their home. To date, more than 13,000 meals have been provided by Culinary Angels.

"Our meals are specifically designed to fortify a person's immune system and ingredients are locally sourced from our organic garden partners and farmers markets," says Executive Director Lisa McNaney, who founded the organization. "There are also no other organizations that provide a meal for the caregiver as well as other family members, if needed. We recognize a person going through cancer typically relies on their caregivers, and they are an important part of the person's healing journey. Therefore, they deserve to have a night off and be cared for as well."

Recently, the nonprofit launched a new Nutrition and Wellness section on its website. The organization has added a multitude of valuable resources for cancer patients, their caregivers, and communities in general. The information is broken into four sections: Gut Health, Shopping Smarter, The Cancer Patient's Palate, and Healing Modalities. Within each topic is interactive and user-friendly information, including yoga and meditation videos to help calm the mind and body. The section also includes tips on soothing cancer treatment symptoms, local resources on where to purchase fresh meal ingredients, information on herbs and spices, and more.

"When Culinary Angels was first founded in 2016, the goal was to only provide beautiful meals to those going through cancer," notes McNaney. "Over the years, we realized we had this amazing opportunity to not only deliver delicious and healing meals, but also help to inform, educate, and empower our recipients about how to create these meals on their own. Recipes for the meals we prepare are on our website, which allows them to sustain and maintain their wellness once the challenge is over."

Culinary Angels is 90% volunteer-based, according to McNaney, who says 45 to 50 volunteers per cooking cycle weekly make the work of Culinary Angels possible. "We have a solid group of loving, dedicated, and resourceful volunteers who show up every week to execute our meal preparation, packaging, and deliveries. A lot of passion goes into feeding people throughout our communities who need some support. We are extremely proud of the people who link arms to make this organization amazing."

The nonprofit's most important fundraising event of the year is scheduled for Saturday, October 21 from 6 to 10 pm at Garré Vineyard & Winery in Livermore. The Glitz & Gratitude Auction and Gala will include a fully catered wine country meal and carefully curated wines. The event will include live and silent auctions, games, raffle prizes, and more, with the goal of raising $200,000 to support the growth and reach of Culinary Angels.

"Cancer can feel very isolating and exclusive, and not in a good way," says McNaney. "As a patient, your life has been turned upside down, while it feels like everyone else's life is continuing as normal. Our organization shows cancer patients that there are people thinking of them and their journey everyday, that they don't have to figure out the nutrition piece by themselves, and that they are not alone but have a team with them."

For more information about Culinary Angels, please visit culinaryangels.org.

To visit the new Nutrition and Wellness section, go to culinaryangels.org/nutrition-and-wellness.

For more information and to buy tickets to the Glitz & Gratitude Auction and Gala on behalf of Culinary Angels, please visit event.auctria.com/bd0a6ac3-f723-457e-a6cc-9b2c5ca73a40.