Meals on Wheels Contra Costa has a reputation for being a lifesaver — a quality the organization accepts with pride.

The mission of the 34-year-old organization, which fundraises to subsidize some 800,000 free meals delivered 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 bolster the nutrition of at-risk seniors “who have challenges that prevent them from preparing nutritious meals for themselves,” according to its website.

Meals on Wheels Contra Costa raises funds to help cover the costs of the meals that the Meals on Wheels West Contra Costa, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region and J-Sei agencies deliver.

“We are the meals. They are the wheels,” said Executive Director Cassandra Miranda.

Meals on Wheels Contra Costa buys or otherwise contributes to the cost of meals from Trio Community Meals that the other agencies distribute, she said. They also provide referral services and support, as needed, to the other agencies, she said.

“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,”  Miranda said. “For many, we are their connection to the outside world, their source of nutrition, and often their safety net.

“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 meal services and help finding additional community resources. 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, said the organization has become essential to her well-being. Meals on Wheels, she said, “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 said Meals on Wheels has helped her maintain her independence, stay healthy and avoid feeling isolated.

“Maintaining my independence, that’s a biggie,” she said. 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 them 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.”

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.

It fulfilled its mission until 2022, when, in the aftermath of the pandemic, Contra Costa County announced it could no longer provide in-kind support of staff and office space, prompting the transition of the nonprofit from the county home it had relied on for over 30 years.

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 an annual budget of $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.

“It’s a testament to the strength of a community when people from all walks of life come together to care for their neighbors,” she said.“This isn’t just about feeding seniors; it’s about creating connections and building a more compassionate, caring community.”