Share the Spirit: Meals on Wheels Contra Costa program provides vital connection

MARTINEZ — Meals on Wheels Contra Costa has a reputation among its clients of being a lifesaver a standard the organization takes with much pride.

The mission of the 34-year-old organization, which serves some 800,000 free meals annually to 3,600 seniors, is to “support homebound elders to maintain their health and dignity, and enable them to live independently in the comfort and security of their own homes,” as well as “to aid nutritionally at-risk senior citizens who have challenges that prevent them from preparing nutritious meals for themselves,” according to the organization’s website.

“Meals on Wheels Contra Costa has earned its reputation as a lifesaver because the service we provide is vital to the well-being of homebound seniors,” said Executive Director Cassandra Miranda. “For many, we are their connection to the outside world, their source of nutrition, and often their safety net.

“In many ways, the service we provide helps our seniors maintain their independence, health, and dignity. The food being delivered sustains them physically, but the caring interaction sustains them emotionally.”

Seniors and their family members often turn to the organization for a variety of reasons, including looking for meal services and seeking help finding additional resources in the community. There are also those who simply call to talk with a trusted staff member, which Miranda said shows “how deeply they rely on the support we provide, whether it’s addressing a practical need or offering a comforting conversation.”

“This connection helps ease the emotional and mental burdens that seniors may face, fostering a sense of trust and companionship. It’s this combination of nutrition, safety, and genuine human connection that makes Meals on Wheels a true lifesaver for so many in our community.”

Client Karen Paluzzi, 91, of Pinole, firmly believes the organization has become essential for her well-being. Meals on Wheels, she says, “keeps me alive. I’m a very big fan of Meals on Wheels. It’s very worthy and provides a lot of benefits for seniors.”

Paluzzi, who lives alone, fractured her spine in 2016 and most recently was injured in a car crash. She says Meals on Wheels has helped her maintain her independence, stay healthy and avoid feeling isolated.

“Maintaining my independence, that’s a biggie,” she says. The meals are also “good and nourishing” and don’t just ease the burden of daily cooking but are also “a tremendous help financially” for seniors.

The San Francisco native has traveled extensively abroad, spending nearly three decades living in countries such as Norway, Italy and Spain. She has attended the California School of Fine Arts and Crafts, worked for the now-defunct Trans World Airlines as a salesperson and as an interviewer in research studies with the University of Chicago. She retired in 1982.

She returned to the Bay Area to be closer to her family, particularly her grown children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“I have good family support when I need it,” she said. But as the years passed, she noticed a change in her energy, especially when it came to cooking. Once a passionate home cook who loved preparing meals from scratch, Paluzzi no longer had the drive to spend hours in the kitchen. It was soon after she fractured her spine that she turned to Meals on Wheels.

She said the connection with her volunteer drivers has been just as valuable as the meals. She has formed special bonds with volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels that have turned into relationships that she still enjoys. “The human connection is very important. I’m pretty social, but there are people who need it and it’s really important for people like them.”

Miranda also emphasized that contact: “Meal deliveries aren’t just about nourishment—they’re also a wellness check and a moment of human connection. The delivery drivers are often the only people our clients see, and they’re trained to notice signs of distress or change, which can prevent minor issues from turning into emergencies.”

Paluzzi reflected on her experience and stressed the importance Meals on Wheels can have on people: “It’s a service more people need to be aware of and take advantage of.”

The organization was founded in 1990 as officials confronted a growing waitlist of homebound elders needing services, with stagnant government funding. Recognizing the urgent need for a sustainable funding source, they established the organization to bridge the gap between rising demand and inadequate support.

Miranda, inspired by the founders’ mission and linked to the work by her grandmother, who was once part of the program, offered to resign from her county job in the senior nutrition program to lead the nonprofit through the transition, ensuring the organization’s purpose continued. The board agreed, and in February 2023, she took on the role which she continues in today.

The group has a paid staff of four and scores of volunteers doing tasks like delivering meals, administrative tasks, event planning and more. Its annual budget is $3.2 million, with funding coming through donations, grants, workplace giving, vehicle donation and other efforts.

In its first-ever application for a Share the Spirit grant, the organization is requesting $35,000, which it says will be used to provide approximately 4,375 nutritious meals to some 625 homebound seniors.

In Miranda’s eyes, what makes Meals on Wheels Contra Costa even more special is the way it brings the entire community together.

“The program is powered by a network of volunteers, donors, and local partners, each contributing something essential,” she said. “It’s a testament to the strength of a community when people from all walks of life come together to care for their neighbors. This isn’t just about feeding seniors; it’s about creating connections and building a more compassionate, caring community.”

THE SHARE THE SPIRIT SERIES 
Share the Spirit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operated by the East Bay Times, The Mercury News and Bay Area News Group that provides relief, hope and opportunities for East Bay residents by helping raise money for nonprofit programs in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

WISH
Donations will help Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc.  to provide approximately 4,375 nutritious meals to approximately 625 homebound seniors currently enrolled in the program countywide. Goal: $35,000

HOW TO GIVE 
Go to sharethespiriteastbay.org/donate or print and mail in this form.

LEARN MORE
Find additional stories at sharethespiriteastbay.org.