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December 5, 2022By Carissa Krautscheid
For the past 90 years, Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona (CCS) has strengthened children, adults, families, and communities by providing help, creating hope, and serving all. In the 1950s, CCS established a Meals on Wheels program that “has since been guided by a single goal – to support our senior neighbors to extend their independence and health as they age,” explained Mary McClendon, manager of the meal program in Yuma. “That is exactly what the Senior Nutrition Program has been doing for over 40 years.”
CCS offers seniors in Yuma, Tucson, Green Valley, Ajo, Eloy, Coolidge, and Sierra Vista with two options for nutritional food: home delivered meals and community meals shared in a congregate setting. “The goal is to keep seniors healthy while providing opportunities for social engagement, information on healthy aging, and meaningful volunteer roles, while contributing to health and well-being as participants age,” said McClendon, “We want to address the impact of social isolation and nutritional deficiency that can often occur as we age.”
Congregate Meals Program
CCS resumed the Congregate Meals Program in May 2022 after adjustments made during the pandemic.
“The Congregate Meals Program provides a nutritious lunch 5 days per week (excluding recognized holidays) in a setting designed to encouraged positive social contact with other senior adults,” said McClendon. “In addition, outreach activities designed to promote mental and physical well-being are offered to delay the onset or advancement of chronic disease.”
During Congregate Meals, CCS celebrates birthdays and holidays, and invites family members to join in the meal as well. Live music and joyful entertainment often accompany meals shared in a welcoming community of seniors.
Home Delivered Meals Program
The Home Delivered Meals Program provides doorstep delivery of 1-7 nutritious meals per week depending on individual need. The service enables older adults to avoid or delay costly institutionalization and allows him/her to stay in their home and community. This program helps support their desire to continue living at home and maintain a level of independence with dignity.
Sometimes the meal drivers may be the only person they see regularly. In addition to delivery of meals to homebound individuals, volunteers and staff check in with these seniors to decrease feelings of isolation and identify and to report any concerns that may otherwise go unnoticed.
“Several years ago,” shared McClendon, “a CCS driver reported that a participant, who hadn’t missed a delivery in at least six months, did not answer the door. She could hear the TV and the dog was barking, and doors were locked - nothing unusual except there was no answer. We requested a health and welfare check by the Sherriff’s Department that resulted in a forced entry. The deputy found the participant in her recliner in diabetic shock. Our drivers believe and are invested in the purpose and mission of the program.”
What do these programs offer? CCS helps seniors to access nutritious meals, age gracefully, and enjoy a sense of belonging.
Aging Gracefully
“Today, the average life expectancy is at a record high: 79 years,” McClendon continued. “As we get older, even the most independent among us may experience physical declines or financial hardship that strip away our independence. Add to that an increase in geographic mobility of our families, and the result is millions of seniors left behind, hungry, and alone. For these adults, access to adequate nutrition is vital because of their increased vulnerability to chronic disease and conditions which may impair their ability to access adequate and nutritious meals.”
Nutritious Meals
Seniors receive a freshly made, nutritious meal through CCS’s meal programs. For some participants, this may their only meal for the day. All meals are designed to provide a minimum of a third of the current Dietary Reference Intakes. Often nutritional deficiency occurs with aging. These initiatives combat this through nutritious meals.
A Sense of Belonging
“How do we know when someone is sick, in the hospital, or has passed away?” McClendon is
often asked. “Because we know. The friendships that are developed in this circle are never ending. We have even had a for-real wedding conducted during lunch! The couple met at the program and the officiant, who was also a participant, was an ordained minister!
“Most recently, a participant passed away who had transitioned from congregate to home delivered meals because of declining health and then moved out of state to be with family during COVID. After two years of being away from the program, she asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the CNG Senior Center. That type of connection is real and does not happen by accident.
“This may be their only opportunity for socialization. We offer seniors the chance to sit around a table with like-minded seniors to socialize and chat. We celebrate birthdays with them, mourn losses while celebrating the life of friends and family, celebrate holidays, and generally have fun. It truly is more than a meal that they are served.”
Pima County
Kara Melton manages CCS’s Nutrition Services in Pima County and collaborates with Community Food Bank, Caridad Kitchen, City of Tucson, and Pima Council on Aging (PCOA). The six congregate centers in Pima County include four in Tucson, and one center each in Green Valley and Ajo. CCS encourages seniors to call their Nutrition Services office to find their closest center: 520-624-1562.
CCS in Pima County served:- 200-250 meals each day, Monday through Friday
- 15,000 meals per month delivered to homebound clients
Yuma CountyThe Congregate Meal Centers currently serve about 40 people each day. Prior to the pandemic, CCS-Yuma served 80-120 people per meal.
How many meals are served each month?- 850 meals served at our congregate lunch program
- 500 light breakfasts served to seniors 60+
- 6,200 meals delivered to homebound seniors 60+, their spouse if applicable, and other adults with disabilities
- 7,500 meals total
How many volunteers and employees does it take to make this possible? Not as many as you’d expect!
- 1 cook
- 4 kitchen helpers
- 2 administrators
- 5 drivers
“Our program provides doorstep delivery of meals to over 300 homebound seniors,” said McClendon. “We service all of Yuma County and our longest round trip is 147 miles each week. With 22 routes total, there are two rounds of delivery for each driver per day. At the peak of the pandemic, the Home Delivery Meal program increased its meal delivery by 113%, delivering over 7,500 meals per month. This was in addition to the 2,000+ meals being served for congregate breakfasts and lunch.”
How Can You Get Involved?
“If you are 60 years or older, join us for lunch!” invites McClendon. “You can even bring your spouse with you regardless of age. As we continue to grow and resume a robust program calendar, I say pick your passion: Do you like to crochet or knit? Start a circle with us! Do you sing or play the piano? Treat us to some sounds of music. Additionally, we can always use donations for bingo prizes, such as socks, pillows, towels, cards, etc…”
CCS has also added a meaningful project to their Home Delivery Program: “an annual ‘covered with care’ campaign where we deliver a new fleece blanket to our homebound participants between Thanksgiving and Christmas with their meals. It’s a small reminder that someone is thinking about them beyond just delivering a meal and the fact that they are donated by the community serves as a reminder that they are also not forgotten. It is amazing the amount of appreciation, gratitude and even a tear or two that is shared. So, new fleece blankets are always welcome between mid-October and mid-November!”
Finally, volunteer! It takes a team to make these programs possible. For CCS volunteers, it’s “not just about volunteering,” said McClendon. “Volunteering fills a need in their life too —whether a void due to loss, time, the desire to feel needed, or simply to give. There is a sense of worth that is developed and maintained giving or adding value to their life through giving back.”
For more information
CCS - Yuma
Home-Delivered Meals
Congregate Meals
CCS - TucsonHome-Delivered Meals
Congregate Meals
CCS - Sierra VistaHome-Delivered Meals
Congregate Meals
