Project Angel Food

What Project Angel Food does

Project Angel Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1989 by Marianne Williamson as an outreach program of the Los Angeles Center for Living, headquartered at 922 Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The organization's sole function is preparing and delivering medically tailored meals, free of charge, to critically ill, home-bound individuals across Los Angeles County. Clients include people with cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, diabetes, renal failure, COPD, and other life-threatening illnesses who cannot shop or cook for themselves. The organization reports having served more than 20 million meals since 1989, with current annual volume exceeding 1 million meals (120,000 per month), serving approximately 2,800 clients per day via 81 weekly delivery routes covering the full 4,751 square miles of Los Angeles County.

The core product is the Medically Tailored Meal Delivery Program, supported by a 12-week rotating menu cycle with 13 medically tailored menu options, designed collaboratively by professional chefs and registered dietitians customized to each client's diagnosis. Add-on services include one-on-one nutrition counseling, holiday meal programs, birthday celebrations, and special deliveries for children of clients. The product portfolio was extended in 2018 with the Congestive Heart Failure Pilot Program launched under the California Food is Medicine Coalition (CAL FIMC), and again in 2022 with the Community Supports Program, which delivers meals to Medi-Cal members under California's CalAIM initiative through referral partnerships with five major health plans (L.A. Care, Molina, Health Net, Anthem BlueCross, Blue Shield Promise). Technology is non-proprietary: operations rely on a central commercial kitchen at 922 Vine Street and a fleet of delivery vehicles rather than software platforms.

The revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit construct. The historical base consists of individual donations, foundation grants (Mark Taper, Wells Fargo, Keck, Ahmanson, MAC AIDS Fund, Wallis Annenberg), and proceeds from special events including the Angel Awards gala and the Lead with Love telethon on KTLA 5. Since 2022, CalAIM Community Supports has introduced managed-services revenue from Medi-Cal reimbursement for medically tailored meals delivered to plan members, marking a structural shift from a purely philanthropic funding model to a blended philanthropy/managed-services model. The organization reports 48,000 volunteer hours invested per year, holds Charity Navigator four-star and Candid Platinum seals, and is accredited by the Food Is Medicine Coalition.

Name

Project Angel Food

Legal name

Project Angel Food

Website

https://angelfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Project Angel Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that prepares and delivers medically tailored meals free of charge to critically ill, home-bound individuals across Los Angeles County, funded through individual donations, foundation grants, special events, and Medi-Cal reimbursement via California's CalAIM initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Medically Tailored Meal Delivery Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Food Security & Nutrition in Humanitarian Crises (BPADAJAI), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Emergency Food Assistance & Nutrition Response (BPADADAE)

Keywords

• Medically tailored meals
• Home meal delivery
• Nonprofit food services
• Nutrition support services
• Critical illness meals

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations from the public. The website prominently features donation options with specific giving levels: $10 provides 1 meal, $50 provides 5 meals, $100 provides 10 meals, $250 provides 25 meals, and $500 provides 50 meals. Monthly giving program (Kitchen Cabinet) and Circle of Angels major donor program ($1,500+) are also available.
2. Corporate and Foundation Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations and foundations provide significant funding. Notable partners include Wells Fargo Foundation, Keck Foundation, MAC AIDS Fund, Ahmanson Foundation, Wallis Annenberg, and others who have provided leadership gifts and grants.
3. Special Events: Annual fundraising events including Angel Awards gala, Eat.Drink.Be an Angel, Bowling for Angels, Angel Art, and the Lead with Love telethon generate significant revenue and community engagement.
4. Government Contracts (Medi-Cal/CalAIM): Since 2022, Project Angel Food receives reimbursement through California's CalAIM Community Supports initiative, which allows health insurers to cover medically tailored meals for eligible Medi-Cal patients, creating a sustainable funding stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Project Angel Food is a nonprofit organization that prepares and delivers free, medically tailored meals to individuals living with critical illnesses throughout Los Angeles County. The organization produces approximately 120,000 meals per month across 13 specialized menus designed to meet the dietary requirements of conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and currently serves more than 2,800 clients per day via 81 weekly delivery routes.

Product overview

Project Angel Food is a nonprofit meal delivery organization offering a single, integrated service portfolio centered on medically tailored meal delivery. The core Medically Tailored Meal Delivery Program serves as the primary offering, with specialized diet-specific modules (Congestive Heart Failure Pilot Program, Nutrition Services) built around it. The Community Supports Program extends these services through healthcare payer partnerships under California's CalAIM initiative. Client Services provides additional personalized support including birthday celebrations and holiday meal programs. All offerings are delivered through a central kitchen at 922 Vine Street, Hollywood, with weekly home delivery across Los Angeles County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medically Tailored Meal Delivery Program Free home delivery of medically tailored meals prepared to meet the dietary requirements of critically ill individuals, including those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions. The program serves approximately 2,800 clients per day and delivers approximately 120,000 meals per month across 81 weekly routes in Los Angeles County.
• 13 Condition-Specific Medically Tailored Menus A set of 13 medically tailored menus designed to meet the nutritional requirements of specific critical illnesses served by Project Angel Food. Each menu is customized to address the dietary needs of a defined medical condition.
• Volunteer Engagement Program Program that engages community volunteers in meal preparation and home delivery operations, contributing approximately 48,000 volunteer hours annually to support Project Angel Food's meal delivery services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 28% reduction in average monthly healthcare costs for patients receiving medically tailored meals and medical nutrition therapy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• L.A. Care Health PlancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022As part of California's CalAIM Community Supports initiative, L.A. Care Health Plan refers Medi-Cal members with serious chronic conditions to receive medically tailored meals from Project Angel Food. CEO John Baackes has publicly praised Project Angel Food for building proof needed for more state and federal funding for medically tailored meals.
• Molina HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner health insurer under CalAIM Community Supports, referring eligible Medi-Cal members to Project Angel Food's medically tailored meal program.
• Health NetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner health insurer under CalAIM Community Supports. Senior Director Nancy Wongvipat Kalev has praised Project Angel Food as a lead presenter at networking events and for building relationships with other CalAIM Community Supports providers.
• Anthem BlueCrosscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner health insurer under CalAIM Community Supports, referring eligible Medi-Cal members to receive medically tailored meals.
• Blue Shield of California Promise Health PlancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner health insurer under CalAIM Community Supports, referring eligible Medi-Cal members to receive medically tailored meals.
• St. John's Community HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ECM Program Manager Monica Cotom has praised Project Angel Food's work and shared firsthand experience helping deliver holiday meals on Thanksgiving.
• Harry & Meghan, Duke & Duchess of SussexminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Volunteered and delivered meals in April 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic, providing significant publicity for the organization.
• California Food Is Medicine Coalition (CAL FIMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Project Angel Food launched the California Food is Medicine Coalition (CAL FIMC) statewide pilot for Congestive Heart Failure Medi-Cal patients to prove medically-tailored meals can reduce healthcare costs. Research shows 28% average monthly healthcare cost reduction for patients receiving medically tailored meals.
• Kiehl'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership where Project Angel Food received 1% of annual sales from the Manhattan Village store.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• God's Love We Deliver: New York City-based 501(c)(3) that prepares and home-delivers medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness (HIV/AIDS, cancer, etc.). Closest functional analog to Project Angel Food, with comparable scale, FIMC accreditation, and payer-contract diversification strategy.
• Project Open Hand: San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and nutrition services to seniors and critically ill individuals, including those with HIV/AIDS. Operates the same MTM-plus-nutrition-counseling model and is an FIMC peer agency.
• MANNA: Philadelphia-based nonprofit delivering medically tailored meals to individuals battling serious illnesses. FIMC-accredited with a strong published evidence base on healthcare cost reduction, closely comparable mission and operating model.
• Moveable Feast: Maryland-based (with Miami expansion) nonprofit providing medically tailored meals to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other critical illnesses. Operates a home-delivery MTM model directly comparable to Project Angel Food.
• Mama's Kitchen: San Diego County nonprofit that delivers medically tailored meals to clients affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other critical illnesses. Geographic peer within California with similar home-delivery MTM service model.
• Food & Friends: Washington D.C. area nonprofit providing home-delivered, medically tailored meals and groceries to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses. Closest mid-Atlantic analog to Project Angel Food.
• Ceres Community Project: Sonoma County, California nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and nutrition education to people facing serious health challenges. FIMC-affiliated peer with a comparable chef-and-dietitian model and youth-volunteer kitchen.
• Open Hand Atlanta: Atlanta-based nonprofit delivering medically tailored meals and nutrition support to individuals with chronic and critical illnesses. Operates a home-delivery MTM model and shares Project Angel Food's HIV/AIDS origin story.

Others

• Food Is Medicine Coalition: National coalition of nonprofit MTM providers — including Project Angel Food — that sets accreditation standards, advocates for federal MTM coverage, and coordinates research. PAF is an accredited member; FIMC functions as the industry association for the direct peers listed above.

Broad incumbents

• Meals on Wheels America: National umbrella organization supporting thousands of local senior-meal programs. Operates a broader, less clinically specialized mission (home-delivered meals for seniors) and dwarfs PAF in scale, but with weaker medical-tailoring and clinical nutrition integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCovzIXlUBMUJZtO8t8EA3_Q/videos
• Xx.com/ProjAngelFood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Angel Food