Dallas, Texas-based Roots Food Group has launched FeedingTheBlind.org, a nonprofit organization providing medically tailored meals to individuals who are blind or have low vision.
There are significant challenges that come between the health and wellness of the estimated 25 million Americans who are blind or have low vision, the majority of whom are over 50 years old. The inability to drive, shop for groceries, read a nutritional panel, view a freshness date or read the cooking instructions are just a few impediments that can prevent these individuals from securing and consuming nutritious meals. And, according to the American Foundation for the Blind, more than 70 percent of adults who are blind or have low vision are also unemployed.
Feeding the Blind addressed these obstacles by providing free and subsidized medically-tailored meals that are ready-to-eat and simple to heat delivered directly to consumers’ homes.
More than 30 million people in the United States, or nearly 10 percent of the population, have diabetes. By continuing with unhealthful eating habits, diabetics are 25 times more likely than non-diabetics to develop low or complete loss of sight, making diabetes the leading cause of blindness.
“Proper nutrition among low vision and blind individuals is especially important due to the prevalence of diabetes and inherent dietary needs. Providing medically tailored meals to this community is a huge, progressive step to allow every person an equal opportunity to make health-conscious decisions and consume delicious, good-for-you meals that are rich with nutrients,” stated Robert Jones, CEO of Roots Food Group and chairman of the board of Feeding the Blind.
“Feeding the Blind is launching with multiple corporate and strategic partners to support the mission of providing healthy medically tailored meals to the blind and low vision community. Our founding partners include Be My Eyes, which inspired the development of this nonprofit organization. Other founding partners include The Chris Paul Family Foundation, Holland and Knight, Baker Tilly, Roots Food Foundation, Accessible Pharmacy, and Dunes Capital, among others,” said Laura Kovacevich, executive director of Feeding the Blind.
“Be My Eyes is honored to be a part of any program that provides healthy food for our community of five million-plus blind and low vision individuals,” said Todd Kuipers, VP of sales at Be My Eyes.
“Food is Medicine” refers to a spectrum of health and wellness interventions that recognize and respond to the critical link between nutrition and chronic diseases. Interventions consist of healthful foods that are tailored to meet the specific needs of individuals living with or at risk for serious health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease and hypercholesterolemia.
Roots Food Group is a mission-driven technology, healthcare, philanthropic and food company that believes in creating healthy outcomes through “Food is Medicine.” The company manufactures and distributes high quality, earth made, medically tailored food products to healthcare companies and affiliated systems, communities and direct to the consumer to address the epidemic of chronic disease and other medical conditions.
