Meal Service FAQ
Thanks for your interest in our home-delivered, medically tailored meal program. Here are a few of the questions we often receive about our service. If your specific question is not answered here, please reach out to our client services team.
Our home-delivered meals are provided at no cost to our clients. We are funded by individual donations, foundations, corporations, public funds, and contracts with health care providers/payers so that we can deliver meals without any cost to recipients.
We deliver meals along the I-25 corridor, from Pueblo to Weld counties, and into Douglas and Boulder counties. In 2024, we began a pilot program to serve Loveland, Greeley, and Fort Collins. View our current map of delivery boundaries.
If you live in a rural area, and your health care provider or insurance provider has a contract with Project Angel Heart to provide medically tailored meals for you, you may be eligible to receive shipments of frozen meals. Please ask your health care or insurance provider if you are eligible for this service.
To qualify for Project Angel Heart’s meal delivery service, you must:
- Be living with a current diagnosis of a severe illness such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, end stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, multiple sclerosis, high-risk pregnancy, dementia, or another such illness
- Live inside our delivery area (please see above). If you live outside of these boundaries, you can make alternate delivery arrangements such as picking up your meals at Project Angel Heart or setting up delivery to a friend or family member who lives within the boundaries
We understand that a diagnosis of a severe illness affects both you and your family. Project Angel Heart can provide meals to family members with a health issue or dependents under 18. This could include partners with disabilities, children, adult children with disabilities, and anyone else in your household who has a disability or difficulty preparing meals. The Client Services team determines eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
Deliveries are made once a week, delivery days may vary by location.
All meals for clients participating in our core philanthropic program are delivered by volunteers. To learn more about volunteering, click here. People receiving meals as the result of a health care provider contract will be delivered by a paid driver or shipped directly to that person’s home.
Yes, you or someone in your household must be home to accept meal deliveries. Other arrangements can be made with the Client Services team on a case-by-case basis.
If you do not receive your meals by the end of the scheduled window for delivery, please call the Client Services team at 303.830.0202, select option 1, then option 2, or 800.381.5612. Staff is in the office during all delivery hours.
All meals are fully cooked before they’re delivered to you. Here are detailed instructions on storing and reheating meals.
Microwave: Puncture film cover over both compartments. Heat meal on high for 2-3 minutes, stir, remove vegetables, and then heat for an additional 2-3 minutes until the temperature is 165 degrees (meals are fully cooked).
Oven: Preheat oven to 350°. Puncture film cover over both compartments. Place meal on a baking sheet and bake it for 25-30 minutes or until the temperature is 165 degrees. Do not heat meals in a toaster oven.
Tips For Best Results:
- Before reheating your meal, defrost it by taking the meal out of the freezer and putting it in the refrigerator overnight. Some clients find the food tastes best when defrosted for a full 24 hours before reheating. If thawed, your meal may reheat faster. Reheat a thawed meal for 2 minutes and then at 30-second intervals until fully reheated.
- The meal reheats best when heated on a plate or in a separate container.
We offer many special diet options, including catering to medical dietary restrictions (for example, limiting sodium, phosphorus, and potassium for those with end-stage renal disease), common allergies (no nuts, no soy, gluten-free, dairy-free, no eggs), and common requests (no fish, no pork). We also offer a vegetarian option. For those with chewing difficulties, we offer a dental soft diet meal option. We do not offer a pureed liquid-only diet.
Please visit this page for more information about our different menu options.
The amount of sodium varies by meal. In general, meals for clients who receive our heart-healthy diet contain less than 500 mg of sodium per meal. To request further nutrition information, please contact our registered dietitian at 303.407.9439.
We are happy to talk with you about changing your diet to meet your medical and health needs. Please call the Client Services team at 303.830.0202, select option 1, then option 2, or 800.381.5612 to discuss any changes. Please note it takes at least seven business days for us to make significant changes to your meal plan as our kitchen staff needs time to prepare your new meals.
We are closed on the most common holidays, but we will always send a communication to our clients when we are closed for a holiday.
If weather conditions make delivery difficult or dangerous for our volunteer drivers, your meals may be late. In very extreme weather conditions, we may reschedule meal delivery for a different day. If you have concerns, please call 303.830.0202 or 800.381.5612. A staff member will speak to you or our voicemail message will say if your delivery is canceled and when you can expect your next delivery.
Some clients only need our services for a short time while on treatment, and others stay on service for several years. You will receive meals as long as you need us and qualify for our service.
Every year, we will send you paperwork to update your information. All clients are required to complete this paperwork. When you receive your first meals from Project Angel Heart, you will receive information detailing our policies.
Use and Disclosure of Client Information Policy
Policy Statement:
At Project Angel Heart, we recognize the importance of safeguarding client information and respecting their privacy rights. This policy outlines the guidelines and procedures for the appropriate use and disclosure of client information, including protected health information (PHI) in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other relevant privacy laws.
Purpose of Use and Disclosure:
a. Client information, including PHI, will only be used or disclosed for legitimate purposes directly related to the provision of healthcare services, client treatment, payment processing, healthcare operations, de-identifiable grant related purposes, or as permitted by applicable laws and regulations.
b. Use and disclosure of client information will be limited to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.
Client Consent and Authorization:
a. Client consent or authorization will be obtained before using or disclosing their information, as required by applicable laws and regulations.
b. Consent or authorization will be obtained in writing or verbally.
c. Clients have the right to revoke their consent or authorization at any time, as permitted by law, and such revocations will be honored.
Meal Services, Payment, and Operations:
a. Client information may be used or disclosed for meal service purposes, including coordinating external services and referrals among healthcare providers involved in the client’s care.
b. Client information may be used or disclosed for payment purposes, such as processing claims, verifying insurance coverage, and billing clients’ insurance providers.
c. Client information may be used or disclosed for healthcare operations, including quality assessment, staff training, auditing, and business management activities necessary for providing meal delivery services.
Business Associates and Contractors:
a. Client information may be shared with business associates and contractors who provide services on behalf of Project Angel Heart and require access to client information to perform their duties.
b. Prior to disclosing client information, business associates and contractors will be required to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) or a contract that includes provisions to protect the privacy and security of client information.
Legal and Regulatory Requirements:
a. Client information may be disclosed when required by law, court order, subpoena, or other legal processes.
b. Client information may be disclosed to public health authorities, law enforcement agencies, or government entities in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Research and Public Health:
a. Client information may be used or disclosed for research purposes, subject to appropriate safeguards and compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing research.
b. Client information may be used or disclosed for public health activities, including disease surveillance, reporting of adverse events, or as required to prevent or control the spread of communicable diseases.
De-identified Information:
a. De-identified client information that does not identify an individual and cannot be re-identified may be used or disclosed for research, public health, or other purposes without client consent.
Marketing and Fundraising:
a. Client information will not be used for marketing purposes, including the promotion of products or services, without obtaining client consent or as permitted by law.
b. Client information may be used for fundraising purposes, but clients will have the opportunity to opt-out of receiving fundraising communications.
Confidentiality and Security:
a. All employees and authorized individuals who have access to client information will maintain its confidentiality and adhere to strict security protocols.
b. Appropriate technical, physical, and administrative safeguards will be implemented to protect client information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
Policy Review:
a. This policy will be periodically reviewed to ensure its effectiveness, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and alignment with industry best practices.
b. Any necessary updates or amendments to this policy will be made in consultation with legal counsel, privacy officers, and communicated to all employees and relevant stakeholders.
By adhering to this Use and Disclosure of Client Information Policy, we aim to protect the privacy and confidentiality of client information while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
If you have questions, please contact our Client Services team at 303.830.0202, select option 1, then option 2, 800.381.5612, or refer@projectangelheart.org.