Nationally known Catholic speaker and author Chris Faddis has set out to open Bene Plates, a Phoenix-based food and nutrition company, with the sole purpose of preparing home-delivered meals to those suffering from cancer and other chronic illnesses — locally and nationwide.
Bene Plates recently launched its nutrition program, and plans to ship its first meals in November.
As part of the company’s launch, Faddis, the founder and president of Bene Plates, has created a Kickstarter “crowdfunding” campaign to give people a chance to come alongside this vision and get great rewards, including meals delivered to their home or a chance to host Fr. Leo Patalinghug of EWTN’s “Savoring Our Faith” in supporters’ homes. Patalinghug, author of Grace Before Meals, is one of Faddis’ culinary advisors. The Kickstarter campaign can be found at http://kck.st/1GoSykQ .
In the final few months Faddis had with his wife Angela, who eventually succumbed to colon cancer, he dove deep into studying the importance of specialized foods consumed by the terminally ill. He discovered that nutrition is largely ignored in the final stages of a patient’s life and that properly prepared meals, tailored to the individual patient, could help them live a more comfortable life, even with their disease.
Faddis began working with chefs, doctors and nutritionists to create a menu of “craveable,” clean (non-toxic), micronutrient-rich meals prepared in an FDA-approved kitchen in Phoenix with the intention of delivering precooked meals that could be delivered anywhere in the United States. Additionally, Bene Plates has a nutrition team that will offer support to patients through advanced testing and nutritional counseling.
“I’m so pleased to work with Bene Plates, as the mission blends perfectly with our Grace Before Meals movement and The Table Foundation efforts,” said Fr. Patalinghug. “Working together, we can provide delicious meals for our loved ones who are sick and confronted with end-of-life issues. With the an element of faith and great ingredients, we can make sure that our loved ones’ Last Suppers will be a celebration of life, family and friendship around delicious and expertly produced meals to help make memories worth savoring.”
Chris spoke with ZENIT last year at the time of the extraordinary synod on the family, sharing his reflections on marriage from his perspective as a young widower: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/young-widower-reflects-on-vocation-to-marriage
About Bene Plates: Bene Plates is a revolutionary new food and nutrition company serving the chronically ill and walking well with incredible food and nutrition.
About Chris Faddis: Chris Faddis is an author, speaker and entrepreneur whose memoir, IT IS WELL – Life in the Storm, chronicles his late wife’s journey with cancer. Since his wife’s death, Faddis has worked on development of several healthcare projects. He is the founder and president of Bene Plates.
About Angela Faddis: Angela was a Catholic wife and mother who was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer on Easter Sunday 2011. Her response to the surprise emergency room diagnosis inspired thousands, “Jesus still rose, so we will trust.”
