Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who qualifies for the service?
The Ceres Community Project provides food to individuals and families in Sonoma County who are in crisis due to a life threatening illness such as cancer.
We are a small organization currently able to serve only 40 to 45 clients and their families at a time. As a result, we give priority to clients who are economically disadvantaged, to those with children, to people living alone without any support, and to those who do not qualify for any other meal program such as Meals on Wheels or Food for Thought.
2. How long can I receive the service?
You are eligible for service for three months (12 weeks) completely free of charge. Of course, if you are able to make a donation to support our work we encourage you to do so.
At the end of your first three months, we will meet with you to evaluate your situation. If appropriate, we will extend service on a month to month basis. At this time, we ask that you make a donation towards the cost of your meals, beginning at $10 per person per week and going to our full cost of $40 per person per week. You may of course make a donation over this amount so that we can make our services available to others.
3. Who do I contact if I have questions or need to change something?
When you become a client, you will receive a call from your Client Liaison. He or she will set up an in-person meeting with you to review your needs and the services that we offer.
Your client liaison will continue to work with you during the entire time that you are receiving food. If you need to change something about the food you are receiving or about the actual delivery, your Client Liaison will help.
4. How and when do I get my food?
We deliver once a week on Thursdays. Our delivery angels will bring the food to your home, usually between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. If you have any special delivery requirements, please don’t hesitate to ask. We can leave food in a cooler or at a neighbor’s home, and we’re also happy to come in and put it away for you.
5. What if I have special dietary needs?
We deal with a wide range of dietary needs including but not limited to: no wheat, no gluten, no dairy, no poultry/seafood, no nightshades and no soy.
When you talk with our Client Manager, she will gather this information so we can insure that the food you receive will be most supportive of your healing. If your appetite or needs change, just let your Client Liaison know and we will adjust your meals accordingly.
6. How much food will I receive each week?
We prepare four complete dinners each week – one with poultry, one with fish and the rest vegetarian – along with a soup, a hearty salad and a dessert. You will receive at least three of the dinners each week depending on your dietary restrictions.
There will be enough for everyone in your household unless we are cooking only for the person who is ill. Of course, all the food will be organic, including any poultry products.
Your weekly delivery will also include any supplemental foods that you order, such as our Immune Broth, and often there will be additional items such as a bag of salad greens, depending on the donations we’ve received that week.
7. How can I learn more about the food you prepare?
For more information about the foods we prepare, see the section on our website called Our Food Philosophy. To find out more about our Supplemental Foods, see the section entitled Supplemental Foods.
8. How can people support The Ceres Community Project’s work?
If it’s comfortable for you, please let your friends and family know about the support you are receiving from Ceres, and encourage them to make donations to support our work. We do not receive any government funding and rely solely on private donations for the work that we do. Donations can be sent to Ceres Community Project, PO Box 1562, Sebastopol, CA 95473. Donations can also be made through our website.Please see the Donations page.
Planned Giving is another important way of supporting our work. Naming The Ceres Community Project in your will is a simple way of insuring that others will be able to benefit from our services. Please let us know if you would like to discuss this with us.
Often people will suggest that donations be made to The Ceres Community Project in honor of someone they love, whether for a birthday or in memoriam. These gifts play a vital role in enabling us to serve our many clients.
If you or someone you know would like to volunteer, they can contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Margaret Howe, Margaret@ceresproject.org.
