Community Health Organization Will Bring Food, Nutrition Education, and Counseling to Eligible Washingtonians
SEATTLE, Wash., October 6, 2026 — Lifelong, a community health organization on a mission to make health and food accessible to all, announced today that it has expanded food and nutrition services across the state of Washington. Lifelong will provide medically tailored meals, as well as nutrition education and counseling, to eligible Apple Health (Medicaid) members throughout the state.
“Medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling aren't simply food assistance. They are healthcare. Dietitian designed and chef made healthy and nutritious food improves overall health outcomes, reduces medical costs, and increases food security,” said Lifelong’s CEO, James Shackelford. “By expanding access to healthy food and nutrition education, Lifelong will help more severely ill Washingtonians live healthier lives, avoid preventable hospitalizations, and remain connected to the communities they call home.”
This expansion is supported by new funding under the Health Related Social Needs (HSRN) Program. HRSN, created under Washington state's 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver, recognizes that factors such as food insecurity and chronic disease are closely connected. The program enables eligible Apple Health members to receive evidence-based nutrition services, helping people remain healthy and independent in their communities.
For Lifelong, this expansion represents the next chapter in a mission that began four decades ago, at the height of the AIDS epidemic. The organization was founded to care for people who were suffering in isolation as many institutions looked away. Today, it brings that same commitment to its work serving older adults, individuals with disabilities, people living with HIV, previously unhoused people, and others facing serious health challenges. The organization’s vision is to not only meet the immediate needs of the community but also build toward a future where health and food are accessible to everyone, with no exceptions.
Lifelong’s Food and Nutrition Program, the Chicken Soup Brigade, combines medically tailored meals—chef-prepared specifically for individuals with chronic health conditions—with individualized nutrition education and counseling from registered dietitians. Lifelong prepares meals locally in Washington. In addition, the organization delivers meals to clients and pairs nutritious food with personalized care and ongoing support.
As demand continues to rise across Washington, Lifelong is also expanding nutrition services in King and Snohomish counties and recently launched medically tailored meal delivery in Skagit and Whatcom counties. At a time when more people are struggling to afford and access nutritious food, housing, and healthcare, Lifelong believes no one should face illness or hardship alone.
"For nearly four decades, we've seen what happens when people have access to the right food at the right time,” said Emily Hanning, Senior Vice President of Programs at Lifelong. “We’re working to bring that opportunity to anyone who needs it, throughout Washington and beyond. We believe health and food are human rights. Every client we serve and every meal we deliver reflects that belief.”
For more information about Lifelong's Food and Nutrition Program, visit https://www.lifelong.org/food-nutrition.