Meals with a Friend

Meals with a Friend We want to help create a community where food and conversation happen with people by connecting them with opportunities.

If you want to share in the giving, we would love to talk with you about it. Links:
https://linktr.ee/Mealswithafriend1 About Chad Francour
At 37 years old, Chad Francour is a dedicated community advocate with a passion for making meaningful connections. Born and raised in Marinette, Wisconsin, he comes from a well-known family deeply rooted in the community and working hard. His upbringing instil

led in him the values of generosity, service, and a deep appreciation for the people around him. These values, along with his own life experiences, have shaped his mission to create a business that brings people together through companionship and the simple joy of sharing a meal. At just sixteen years old, Chad experienced a life-altering event—a severe traumatic brain injury. The road to recovery was long and challenging, filled with personal obstacles and profound realizations about the importance of support systems. His journey reinforced a core belief: human connection is essential to healing and well-being. This perspective continues to shape his life and work today. Determined to turn his experiences into something positive, Chad, pursued higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Human Development. His studies deepened his understanding of the human experience, especially in areas like mental health, aging, and the social needs of vulnerable populations. During this time, he volunteered as a hospice worker—an experience that left a lasting impact. Spending time with individuals nearing the end of their lives, he witnessed firsthand the profound effects of loneliness, but also the incredible power of companionship. He realized that a simple visit, a shared conversation, or a warm meal could bring comfort and dignity to those who needed it most. Throughout his career, Chad has worked in various fields, but a common thread has always been helping others. Whether supporting individuals through community services, advocacy work, or personal outreach, his passion has always been making a difference. Over time, he recognized a glaring gap in the support systems available for elderly individuals, those living alone, and others at risk of social isolation. While organizations existed to provide food or medical assistance, few programs truly focused on companionship and emotional support—something just as critical to a person’s overall well-being. With the encouragement of his family, peers, and mentors, Chad took a leap of faith and founded Meals with a Friend—a business with a simple yet powerful mission: to bring people together over meals, fostering real human connections in the process. His vision is to pair volunteers with individuals in need of companionship, creating an experience that nourishes both the body and the soul. Through Meals with a Friend, Chad, hopes to change the way communities view social care. He believes that no one should feel forgotten, no one should have to eat alone if they don’t want to, and everyone deserves moments of joy and connection. By combining a love for food, meaningful conversations, and the kindness of volunteers, he is working to create a stronger, more connected community—one meal at a time. As Meals with a Friend grows, Chad remains committed to expanding its reach and impact, ensuring that more people receive the warmth and companionship they deserve. He invites volunteers, community partners, and supporters to join him in this mission, believing that together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of so many.

💐 Buy someone flowers today.I was driving to Green Bay for an appointment. Afterward, I stopped at Festival Foods to pic...
08/31/2026

💐 Buy someone flowers today.

I was driving to Green Bay for an appointment. Afterward, I stopped at Festival Foods to pick up some sushi and saw these beautiful flowers. I decided to buy them for my mother.

Long story short, it does not matter what day it is. You do not need a birthday, holiday, or special occasion. Buy someone flowers and let them know you are thinking about them. A simple act of kindness can brighten someone’s entire day. ❤️

New Research from Meals With A FriendI am excited to share a person-centered paper exploring the research behind our mis...
08/30/2026

New Research from Meals With A Friend

I am excited to share a person-centered paper exploring the research behind our mission: “Exercising Our Social Muscle: Investing in Human Connection Through Meals With A Friend.”

Human health involves more than food, shelter, medical care, and physical activity. Conversation, belonging, shared experiences, and the presence of another person also contribute to how we experience our lives.

This paper examines social health, shared meals, meaningful companionship, and why healthcare professionals should recognize and support community-based programs such as Meals With A Friend.

Meals With A Friend does not replace medical or mental health treatment. We create dependable opportunities for people to share meals, participate in friendly visits, build relationships, and experience meaningful human connection.

Read the full paper here: https://mealswithafriend.org/our-mission

Please support Meals With A Friend by spreading the word and sharing the great news.

Meals With A Friend provides meals, connection, and volunteer companionship to individuals in Marinette, Menominee, Peshtigo, and surrounding areas. Our mission is to ease loneliness, nourish hearts, and build meaningful community through friendly visits, conversation, and care. Because no one shoul

Seth Rogen on not quitting.    .
08/28/2026

Seth Rogen on not quitting. .

Even when we are not out connecting with friends, the work behind Meals With A Friend continues! I have been diligently ...
08/27/2026

Even when we are not out connecting with friends, the work behind Meals With A Friend continues! I have been diligently improving our website and researching ways to strengthen and advance our mission.

I believe I have fixed both the “Connect” button and the sign-up button at the bottom of our website. Please visit mealswithafriend.org and try them out!

Today’s fuel included red potatoes and purple onions, steak topped with purple onions, a small piece of sockeye salmon, and a piece of ginger. When I was walking this morning, I accidentally swallowed a bug, so I guess we added a little extra protein to today’s menu! 😂🐛

Please support Meals With A Friend by spreading the word and sharing the great news! ❤️

I created an academic research paper on connection.  Here is what I found:This paper examines social health as an essent...
08/26/2026

I created an academic research paper on connection. Here is what I found:

This paper examines social health as an essential dimension of human well-being and considers how Meals With A Friend (MWAF) can complement person-centered healthcare. Physical and mental health are widely recognized as necessary for flourishing, yet meaningful relationships, belonging, and opportunities for social participation also shape how people experience their lives. The metaphor of “exercising the social muscle” illustrates that communication, trust, listening, and relationship-building benefit from opportunity, participation, consistency, and practice. The metaphor is not intended as a literal physiological claim.

Research associates meaningful social connection with psychological well-being, health behaviors, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes. International findings involving more than 150,000 individuals across 142 countries and territories also demonstrate a significant association between shared meals and greater life satisfaction, more positive emotions, and fewer negative emotions. These findings establish correlation rather than causation, but they support continued research and community investment in shared meals as meaningful environments for connection.

MWAF creates structured opportunities for people to share meals, participate in friendly visits, engage in conversation, and develop reciprocal relationships. Participants are not passive recipients of charity. Each person brings experiences, strengths, humor, knowledge, and wisdom to the relationship. Program fees do not purchase friendship; they support the coordination, preparation, transportation, safety practices, administration, and community partnerships needed to make dependable opportunities for connection possible.

Healthcare professionals should champion community programs such as MWAF because health is influenced by more than clinical treatment. MWAF does not replace medical or mental health services. Instead, it can serve as a community partner that supports social health while honoring each person’s preferences, choices, dignity, and individual understanding of meaningful connection.

Social Connection

A little after-lunch special with a friend! We enjoyed sardines on toasted sourdough bread with fresh strawberries. 🍓 Th...
08/25/2026

A little after-lunch special with a friend! We enjoyed sardines on toasted sourdough bread with fresh strawberries. 🍓 This visit was truly one for the hilarious books! 😂 I get so much enjoyment from laughing, talking, and connecting with every friend.

Then, we shared a delicious Papa Murphy’s pizza with another friend. 🍕 Different meals and different visits, but each one brings good conversation, genuine connection, and wonderful memories.

All good times at Meals With A Friend! 🍽️🤝❤️

08/24/2026

Today’s Meals With A Friend meal featured a delicious tuna and avocado salad, followed by refreshing watermelon for dessert! 🐟🥑🥗🍉

Simple, fresh, and satisfying. A good meal becomes even better when it is shared with a friend. 🍽️🤝❤️

Today’s Meals With A Friend meal featured a delicious tuna and avocado salad, followed by refreshing watermelon for dess...
08/24/2026

Today’s Meals With A Friend meal featured a delicious tuna and avocado salad, followed by refreshing watermelon for dessert! 🐟🥑🥗🍉

Simple, fresh, and satisfying. A good meal becomes even better when it is shared with a friend. 🍽️🤝❤️

A friendly visit does not always need to center around sharing the same meal. What matters most is giving each other our...
08/23/2026

A friendly visit does not always need to center around sharing the same meal. What matters most is giving each other our time and presence.

Today, I brought a salad and string cheese to a friend’s home for a friendly visit, followed by watermelon for dessert. It is all about conversation, companionship, and genuine connection. ❤️

Please support Meals With A Friend by spreading the word and sharing the great news!

Address

Marinette, WI
54143

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 6:30pm
Thursday 8am - 6:30pm
Friday 10am - 6:30pm
Saturday 10am - 6:30pm
Sunday 10am - 6:30pm

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