More than just a meal: Yuma Catholic Community Services makes a difference in homebound seniors’ lives

FOX 9's Adam Klepp rides along with YCCS as they deliver meals and more

YUMA - (KECY-TV, KYMA-TV) - Yuma Catholic Community Services' home-delivered meals program serves 298 seniors in the Yuma area. They provide around 10,000 meals a month for seniors.

Locals get three deliveries a week with a meal for each day. They get five meals a week, one hot and one frozen Monday, one hot and one frozen Wednesday, then one hot on Friday. The menu never repeats within six weeks.

One of the delivery drivers for YCCS is Al Weber. He has been delivering meals to seniors in Yuma for over 20 years.

He drives his route from memory, visiting over thirty seniors each trip, while remembering their names along the way.

He says the response from the locals he serves is why he’s been delivering food for two decades.

“The need is still there, and the response from the people is still there, the thank you is still there," Weber said.

While the program helps seniors who are at risk for nutritional deficiencies, it also provides them with some social interactions as well. 

“It’s nice to see somebody, you know?" Rosa said. "We’re alone, a lot of the seniors don’t have no one to visit us. We only get visited by them to give us the food, or by the landlord to see how we are doing."

People like Rosa are why CCS Associate Director Mary McClendon says the senior nutrition program is more than a meal.

“We’ve actually gone to houses where they’ve fallen, and they’ve been waiting for 2-3 hours on the floor knowing that their driver is coming, and they can get them the help they need at that point," McClendon said.

Rosa says this gives her some peace of mind.

“This program doesn’t just feed us, it’s watching over us, to make sure we’re okay," Rosa said.

Those in our community 60 and over who are at risk for a nutritional deficiency or social isolation are eligible for Yuma Catholic Community Services' home-delivered meals program.

For more information,visit the YCCS website.