WHAT WE DOWe reduce food insecurity and encourage positive health outcomes by partnering with restaurants to provide nutritious and culturally relevant meals to low-income families, seniors, and other people in need.
How It Started
When news of shelter-in-place hit, restaurants, like every other business, had to abruptly shut down. The next day, a small coalition of independent restauranteurs brainstormed ways to save their businesses, take care of their employees, and be of service to the community. They knew pandemic-related food insecurity was set to explode, especially for vulnerable populations like seniors who were unable to pick up their own groceries. This small group of restaurateurs, including Clay Nutting, Brad Cecchi of Canon, and Patrick Mulvaney of Mulvaney’s B&L, immediately went to work getting food to people in need. This effort was called Family Meal.
WATCH OUR VIDEO to see how family meal started ↓
Since the program’s development in March 2020, Family Meal has provided over 750,000 meals to people in need while preserving nearly 100 full-time jobs across 20 Sacramento area restaurants. Family Meal largely inspired a statewide initiative called Great Plates providing 37 million meals across California by partnering with 800 local food businesses, supporting 9,500 food industry jobs, and serving over 55,000 seniors amid the pandemic.
Since the inception of Family Meal, we’ve changed many of the ways we administer the program to meet a wide variety of challenges and opportunities in the food security space. Family Meal has evolved from an emergency feeding program to a community-based feeding program, and finally to a nutritionally-focused feeding program.
While our program has evolved over the years, Family Meal’s goals and priorities have remained.
Family Meal Priorities
01Support Food Security &
Nutrition Education
We recognize the program can play a role not only in addressing hunger but addressing nutrition which is creating health gaps affecting millions of Americans today. Direct efforts towards population-based food security and nutrition education for high-need populations such as veterans, justice-involved individuals, populations with potential diet-related health issues, and youth transitioning out of foster care.
02Create Job Opportunities & Economic Impact
By working with local restaurants and sourcing from local farmers the family meal program shows measured success in keeping people employed, creating new job opportunities, and benefitting the local economy. Develop workforce opportunities by partnering families served with restaurant job opportunities.
03 Advocate for Broader Hunger & Nutrition Policy
Family Meal is proud to work alongside and lead efforts to ensure that hunger and nutrition policies are inclusive, innovative, and not ignored Obtain sustainable funding through CalAIM and other medically tailored meal partnerships.
Meet the Team
Family Meal was founded by Clay Nutting, Brad Cecchi, and Patrick Mulvaney, three Sacramento-area restauranteurs. Family Meal has been supported by many community leaders, advocates, and advisors.
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Co-Founder
Clay Nutting is the co-owner of Canon, a five-time Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand honoree, and Franquette, two celebrated Sacramento area restaurants developed in partnership with chef Brad Cecchi. Clay is deeply engaged in civic leadership, currently serving as Board Chair of Valley Vision, a nonprofit focused on regional economic development and prosperity, and on the Executive Committee of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clay co-founded Family Meal—a collaborative initiative with Patrick Mulvaney and Brad Cecchi—to provide nutritious meals to those in need, reinforcing his commitment to community-driven solutions. Clay’s work is guided by a deep passion for community, resilience, and building systems that support people and place.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clay co-founded Family Meal—a collaborative initiative with Patrick Mulvaney and Brad Cecchi—to provide nutritious meals to those in need, reinforcing his commitment to community-driven solutions. Clay’s work is guided by a deep passion for community, resilience, and building systems that support people and place.
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Co-Founder
Brad Cecchi, born and raised in Sacramento, worked on the opening teams for some of Sacramento’s most prestigious restaurants (Mulvaney’s, Grange). Brad left Sacramento to open Urban Farmer as Executive Chef at the Westin in Cleveland. He returned to California as Chef de Cuisine at Solage in Calistoga, where he earned a Michelin Star. In 2016, Brad returned to Sacramento to create Canon and Franquette with his business partner, Clay Nutting. Canon, a chef-driven neighborhood restaurant, opened in Fall 2017 and was quickly recognized as one of Sacramento’s best restaurants, earning recognition in the Michelin Guide.Brad co-founded Family Meal and was instrumental in developing the Operating Procedures and logistics that facilitated the Great Plates program, a statewide food security initiative during the pandemic that was inspired by Family Meal.
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Co-Founder
Patrick Mulvaney is a proud Sacramentan whose cooking career has spanned five time zones. Upon landing in California in 1993 he knew that the Central Valley would be his home, starting a catering company in 2001 and opening Mulvaney’s B&L in 2006. Today the ever-changing menu at the restaurant he and his wife Bobbin started remains dedicated to local, seasonal foods delivered with elegant hospitality.