Mobile Meals of Tucson celebrates its 40th birthday this year. Since 1970, the volunteer-based organization has delivered two meals a day, five days a week to Tucson's homebound in need of special diets.
Jeanne Miller, volunteer and public relations coordinator, said Mobile Meals delivers food Monday through Friday to more than 200 people between the ages of 21 and 101.
Miller said all meals are prepared at local hospitals in accordance with a doctor-prescribed diet specific to each individual's needs. Some of the special diets may be low in salt, heart healthy or include soft foods for those who have difficulty chewing.
Volunteer drivers deliver meals to the same eight clients a day to form a relationship with the people, Miller said. She said it is important for both the clients and their families that they do "well checks."
The volunteers are trained to recognize warning signs vital to clients' well-being. Miller said volunteers have saved clients' lives before by finding that a client has fallen, recognizing signs of depression or noticing that clients are not eating their meals.
Many of their clients live alone, Miller said, and the Mobile Meals service allows them to maintain independence.
"We're trying to give them that dignity and enable them to stay in their homes," she said.
