Meals on Wheels: A Vital Program for Our Seniors

Our Meals on Wheels program is at the heart of what we do. Every year, we serve over 40,000 meals to more than 300 seniors and individuals in our community. These meals provide essential nutrition and help combat senior isolation by offering a friendly face and regular check-ins. Our highly vetted volunteers also provide connections to resources during times of need.

• Meals served annually: 40,000+
• Seniors served: 300+
• Communities served: 7 unique communities throughout Verde Valley

Our Meals on Wheels help provide these life-saving meals that keep our seniors healthy, engaged, and connected.

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, Meals on Wheels reaches every corner of our
community—Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Cornville, Beaver Creek, Lake
Montezuma, and unincorporated areas of Yavapai County.

Together, our volunteer drivers along with our kitchen and administrative helpers, prepare and deliver more than 40,000 meals each year. With 17 routes covering 1,745 miles each month, and over 327 volunteer hours donated monthly, they ensure seniors are nourished, connected, and never forgotten!

Monday through Friday, The Station on 6th also serves over 11,000 delicious, nutritious
meals a year in our beautiful dining room. By utilizing our historic and multipurpose facility,
we connect hundreds of individuals with wellness and health information, local and relevant
resources, financial and planning advisors, music and entertainment opportunities, engaging
activities and games, but most importantly, we connect our community members with other
folks sharing similar interests.

Study Results Underscore the Urgent Need for Greater Investment in the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 30, 2025 – Meals on Wheels America, in partnership with Brown University School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, today announced findings from a new study published in JAMA Network Open and funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The study shows that home-delivered meals funded through the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program not only reduce hunger and malnutrition among older adults, but also provide significant health, social and financial benefits to both recipients and their caregivers.

Researchers from Brown University and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing conducted in-depth interviews with 54 older adults across five states as part of the Deliver-EE national clinical trial. Participants reported that home-delivered meals:

• Reduced hunger and food insecurity by providing consistent access to nutritious meals Fostered meaningful social connections with delivery persons, helping to combat loneliness
• Improved physical and emotional well-being, supported independence and helped older adults remain in their homes
• Relieved stress and financial strain on family caregivers, giving them more time for their own health and well-being

“The findings from the ‘Home-Delivered Nutrition Services for Older Adults Under the Older Americans Act’ (OAA) study reinforce what Meals on Wheels providers have known for decades: the meal itself opens the door to much more; a service that includes a friendly visit, a health and safety check, and social connection. Home-delivered meals are far more than just a meal—they are a lifeline,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “At a time when loneliness is recognized as an epidemic, demand for services is rising and funding is falling short, we cannot afford to overlook our nation’s most vulnerable seniors. Congress must ensure the OAA has the resources needed to properly support Older Americans in need so they’re not left behind, hungry and alone.”

Despite serving over 2 million older adults annually, 1 in 3 local Meals on Wheels providers has a waitlist with seniors waiting on average four months for vital meals and connection. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 86% of low-income, food-insecure older adults do not receive home-delivered meals. Without additional investment, unmet needs will continue to grow as the aging population increases.

Kali Thomas, study lead and professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing added: “Our analysis of interviews with meal recipients show that home-delivered meals generate health, social, and economic benefits. These findings highlight that investing in home-delivered meal programs provides meaningful returns for both older adults and their caregivers.”

The full article, Home-Delivered Nutrition Services for Older Adults Under the Older Americans Act, is available online at JAMA Network Open.

It’s time to stop leaving seniors behind. Older Americans are depending on all of us to speak out and demand action so they can access the resources they desperately need. Meals on Wheels America urges everyone to contact their members of Congress today. For additional information on Meals on Wheels America, head to www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

“Without Meals on Wheels, my interaction with the outside world would be almost non-existent. I look forward to seeing my delivery driver and I know he cares about me.” —Meals on Wheels recipient, Cottonwood

“Mom can’t drive anymore, and living alone so remotely in Rimrock, Meals on Wheels is the perfect solution to keep her living at home. I know she is getting the nutrition she needs and a friendly check in several times a week.” —Camp Verde resident

“My neighbor moved in from out of state. As a welcome, I got a few meal vouchers for him at the Station on 6th, hoping he will join me for lunch, connect with new friends and enjoy good food while he gets settled.”
—Lamplighter resident, Clarkdale