Revive & Thrive Project curates medically supportive meals while supporting teen career readiness

When nutritionist Wendy Borden was diagnosed with cancer, her treatments came with the challenge of consistently preparing healthy meals. This inspired her to establish Revive & Thrive Project in 2015 to provide medically supportive meals to people facing life-altering illnesses. 

Since its inception, the organization has prepared and donated over 92,000 meals to the doorsteps of Grand Rapids area families. Each meal is thoughtfully prepared to improve health outcomes, while Revive & Thrive Project focuses on fostering community support. 

“Our meals lift a significant burden from families who are focused on recovery” says Amy Thomas-Mellema, executive director at Revive & Thrive Project. “Knowing they have nutritious meals ready to go means one less thing to worry about, allowing them to concentrate on what matters most—healing. By providing nutrient-rich, medically supportive meals, we give individuals facing health crises the nourishment they need to heal and thrive. It’s not just about the food — it’s about community, care and connection.” 

Revive and Thrive Project’s impact extends beyond the kitchen. The organization also empowers local teens with its teen chef program, an opportunity for kids ages 14-18 to develop valuable job skills and a sense of purpose, regardless of their circumstances.  

For these teens, the benefits are as transformative as the meals they create. They not only learn the basics of cooking but also job readiness skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication. Under the guidance of Executive Chef Mandy Thompson, the teen chefs become active participants in the meal preparation process, seeing how their efforts directly benefit others. 

Before each cooking session, Chef Mandy gathers the team to share stories about how their meals have impacted clients. This practice fosters a deeper understanding of the importance of community service, helping teens appreciate the value of their work.  

“The beauty of our work is that it touches so many lives in meaningful ways — from the families receiving medically supportive meals to the teens gaining life skills and learning the impact they can make by serving others,” Amy told us. 

These teen chefs work alongside a diverse, multi-generational volunteer staff. Instead of feeling intimidated by the experience gap, teen chefs recognize their shared mission, and the visible results of their work quickly unite the team. Together, they prepare and package 490 medically supportive meals each week, celebrating the collective accomplishment of making a real difference. 

Chef Mandy is a key figure in the experience for teen chefs. After the meals are prepared and packaged, she ensures that the teens get to taste what they have made. Teens discover that healthy food can be delicious and simple to prepare. Many then share these skills at home, inspiring their families to adopt healthier eating habits. 

Understanding that illness does not discriminate based on socioeconomic boundaries, Revive & Thrive Project serves everyone in need, regardless of income and age. Eligibility for meal service is based on diagnosis, primarily cancer, cardiac conditions and diabetes, and can be requested by applying on their website, and through referrals from healthcare providers. 

You can learn more about Revive and Thrive Project’s meal services, including their processes and benefits, at their website below. 

Learn more about meal services

How you can get involved

Revive & Thrive Project is truly a volunteer-powered organization. Each week, 45 dedicated volunteers turn their mission into reality, mentoring the 14–18-year-old teens who join the teen chef Program. No long-term commitment is required, and sign-up is flexible to accommodate school, sports and other extracurricular activities.  

Revive & Thrive Project also offers a variety of adult volunteer roles. From working in the kitchen preparing meals, to packaging and labeling meals and delivering meals directly to clients’ homes, there is an opportunity to suit every interest and schedule. No experience is necessary, and they offer Volunteer Welcome Orientations twice a month at their kitchen in Grace Episcopal Church in East Grand Rapids.  

To learn more about Revive and Thrive Project’s volunteer roles, or to fill out an application, visit their volunteer page below.  

Volunteer today