Dave White can’t pronounce all the names of the foods in his freezer.
“Here’s herb-roasted pork with mixed-fruit compote,” he said sorting through his cache. “I don’t know what that is, compote.”
A volunteer from Project Angel Heart brings these frozen entrees to White’s Arvada apartment every week. He is 82 with end-stage renal disease, and he finds the food nutritious, delicious and fun.
“Here’s Cincinnati chili with pasta,” he said. “They sure make it entertaining. I don’t know what I’m eating, but I eat it.”
Project Angel Heart has delivered more than 2 million meals to sick and dying people since 1991. Its founder, Charles Robbins, started the organization after watching friends waste away from AIDS. Over the years, the group has expanded its services to people with cancer, kidney disease, heart failure and other life-threatening ailments.
“A lot of clients come to us and say, ‘Gosh I never thought I would be calling you,’ ” said the group’s executive director, Erin Pulling. “The treatments of their disease have liquidated their financial assets. And they suddenly find themselves in poverty and going through a terrible health situation.”
Lose your health, lose your job, lose your health insurance, then die broke and hungry. Project Angel Heart hopes to at least mitigate the hunger. The organization is requesting funding from this year’s Season to Share campaign.
The group’s biggest challenge is keeping up with demand. Not only are more people aging and sliding into infirmity, but more of them are finding out about Project Angel Heart when they do.
In 2007, the organization prepared, packaged and delivered 404,274 meals, a 27 percent increase over 2006 and a 70 percent increase over 2005.
Project Angel Heart relies on an army of 3,000 volunteers, plus donations to fund its $1.7 million annual budget.
White, who fought in the Pacific as a Marine during World War II, learned about Project Angel Heart through his contacts at Veterans Affairs. The food is so good, he has encouraged many of his neighbors in his senior housing community to sign up, too.
“My grocery bill has been whittled down to nothing, and I don’t have to mess with that kitchen,” he said. “It’s wonderful. I’m very grateful.”
It also helps White, a former advertising salesman, keep his keen sense of humor.
“I won the war for the United States,” he said. “I went in ’42, and that’s when we started winning.
“I have kidney disease,” he said. “I’m on dialysis. I’m old, wore out and nothing works anymore, but other than that, I’m in pretty good shape.”
