How Project 180 Improved Mental Health Engagement Through Scalable Nutrition Solutions
By partnering with CookUnity Business, they transformed their food service from a logistical burden into a foundational tool for therapeutic engagement and recidivism prevention.
"When people are hungry, they aren’t going to engage in case meetings or mental health services. Providing good food isn't optional—it's foundational to our care."
The Challenge:
Providing Dignified Nutrition Without On-Site Infrastructure
As Project 180 scaled its housing and justice diversion programs across Los Angeles, ensuring consistent food access became a primary operational barrier. Most residential locations lacked commercial kitchens or the staff to manage high-volume food preparation.
Leadership recognized a "Hunger Barrier": clients cannot effectively participate in mental health stabilization or housing security services when their basic nutritional needs aren't met. To maintain their standard of care, the organization needed a food solution that was high-quality, dignified, and operationally hands-off.
Key Challenges Faced by Project 180
- Infrastructure Limitations: Most housing sites lacked the permits or equipment for on-site cooking.
- Staff Burden: Case managers and clinicians were being distracted by food procurement and preparation.
- Rapid Scaling: The need to add new satellite programs quickly without waiting for kitchen installations.
- Cost Predictability: Rising staffing and food costs made traditional catering or in-house operations difficult to budget.
The Solution:
A Decentralized, Chef-Prepared Meal Program
Project 180 partnered with CookUnity Business to implement a heat-and-eat meal solution across seven housing sites and multiple satellite offices. This partnership provided a professionalized food infrastructure that requires zero on-site preparation.
Rapid Scalability & Growth
- Ready-to-Deploy: By eliminating the need for kitchens, Project 180 could launch new housing sites and courthouse-based programs instantly.
- Flexible Logistics: Adaptable delivery schedules that evolved as the SSG umbrella expanded.
Quality & Choice
- Chef-Made Variety: Residents have access to a wide range of diverse, high-quality menus that respect their preferences and provide a sense of dignity often missing in institutional food service.
- Consistent Standards: Every meal arrives ready to heat, ensuring a high-quality experience regardless of which site a resident is located in.
Management Efficiency
- Centralized Platform: A simple B2B system allows the operations team to manage orders for multiple sites in under an hour.
- Reliable Logistics: Consistent, weekly deliveries remove the uncertainty of food procurement from the daily tasks of housing supervisors.
Food as Medicine: Integrating Nutrition into Mental Health & Justice Diversion
Learn how CookUnity Business applies a "Food as Medicine" framework—bridging the gap between clinical care and daily nutrition. By combining chef-prepared quality with Registered Dietitian oversight, we help social service organizations address the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to improve patient outcomes in behavioral health, supportive housing, and justice-involved settings.
The Results:
Enhancing Therapeutic Engagement through Reliable Food Access
By outsourcing food logistics to CookUnity, Project 180 successfully integrated reliable nutrition into their service model, allowing their team to focus on their core mission of mental health and diversion care.
Key Outcomes
- Operational Freedom: Staff and clinicians are no longer responsible for food logistics, freeing them for higher-value client interactions.
- Seamless Growth: Project 180 successfully scaled to 4+ locations with a single, centralized food partner.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Simplified budgeting with predictable per-meal costs and significantly reduced food waste.
Program Metrics
- 1,000+ meals delivered per week
- 10k+ meals delivered to date
- >95% on-time delivery rate
Want to Learn More?
Get in touch with our team to learn more about how CookUnity serves supportive housing and social service organizations.
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