Better Food, Better Outcomes, One Patient at a Time
We are a community-powered nonprofit that turns everyday generosity into lasting change.
From funding nutritious meals for dialysis patients to supporting transplant recipients and donors through recovery, we connect caring people with programs that improve lives affected by kidney disease. We partner with medical providers and communities and show you the impact of every dollar.
Our Team
Zach Gifford
Founder and PresidentZach founded the Gifford Kidney Foundation after receiving a kidney transplant in 2016, an experience that transformed his appreciation for life and sparked a drive to give back.
During his own battle with kidney disease, he saw firsthand how something as basic as proper nutrition could mean the difference between getting a transplant and years of unnecessary suffering. That's when he made it his mission: no patient should be kept from a life-saving transplant simply because they didn't have access to the right food. In addition to his work on the foundation, Zach also serves as a Board Member at the National Kidney Foundation.
When Zach was diagnosed with kidney disease, Rod and Debbie didn't hesitate. They showed up and never stopped. Hoping to be a match for his son, Rod entered a paired kidney exchange through John’s Hopkins, helping make a transplant possible for another patient in need while paving the way for Zach's own transplant. Debbie was the steady hand behind it all, advocating in hospital rooms and holding the family together through years of uncertainty.
Their experience navigating diagnosis, donation, and recovery gives them a rare, invaluable perspective on what patients and families need. Today, Rod and Debbie serve as advisors to GKF helping shape programs with the same love and determination that carried their own family through.
AdvisorsRod and Debbie Gifford
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