This article was written by Raymundo Chavez-Cervantes and first appeared on Arizona Sonoran News.

In Tucson, as many as 132,000 people experience food insecurity.

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors is hoping its efforts can feed some of the oldest among them.

The community-led project serves around 145  meals a week to seniors. 

Originally started in St. Andrews Episcopal Church by former minister Jefferson Bailey, Neighbors Feeding Neighbors was a  way to help seniors.

“It’s a program of making meals, freezing them and then distributing them to everybody, especially seniors that are food insecure,” said Carol Baumgartner, who took over the program when Bailey retired.  “If we have homeless people come by that don’t have microwaves or ovens, we give them a snack pack that is filled with many nutritious things.” 

Workers prepare foods that keep dietary restrictions in mind.

“They don’t want to overseason because of the people with diabetes and stuff like that,” said Patrick Varley, who is a weekly recipient of the program. 

 “It’s pretty much standard fair, although some of it is quite creative. They get quite creative with the vegetable part of it.” Varley said describing the variety of vegetables the program uses.

Varley, a Vietnam veteran, noted that he started receiving food at a time that he was going from couch to couch. 

Being a community led project, the organization relies heavily on cash donations and shops at food banks and discount grocery stores. 

“Well I’m the coordinator of the Monday crew,” said John White, a long time volunteer. “I generally buy carrots and broccoli and that’s the main vegetables. Then other seasonal vegetables that I can think of or are on sale. Right now we’re relying on canned good donations from the congregation.” 

Apart from that, White said the group  picks up food from restaurants.

“Perche’ No (the downtown Italian restaurant),  usually gives us a restaurant tray full of penne sausage each week, which goes a long way,” White said. “It usually becomes the main dish for at least 50 meals.”

He said El Minuto on South Main Avenue provides Mexican rice, beef and chicken, while Kingfisher in midtown is a regular donor.

“They gave us a meal that they just had on their menu for a couple of weeks, which was goat meat and mille,” White said,

In terms of impact on the community Baumgartner says they can only hope that the extra food can help people financially. 

Monetary donations can only be given to St. Andrew’s church and need to specify that they are for the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors program. 

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.

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