Home Delivered Meals celebrates 25 years of serving meals to the residents of Fountain Hills.

Even though much has changed since 1990 when Marti Lemieux started the program, its core purpose remains the same – helping residents of Fountain Hills who need meal assistance, allowing them to stay in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible.

After months of organizing and putting together the pieces needed to start the first Home Delivered Meals program in Fountain Hills, Lemieux needed the final key component – volunteers to deliver meals.

She wrote a letter to the editor of The Times soliciting volunteers for the program as well as calling different churches and clubs and organization to “adopt a day” for meal delivery.

“In the true spirit of giving back to the community, residents answered the call,” said Lemieux.

Soon, Lemieux had a team of caring volunteers organized and ready to deliver meals Monday through Friday.

Today, the Home Delivered Meals program delivers 365 days a year (including weekends and holidays).

Twenty-five years ago, Life Care Center in Scottsdale was the first meal provider.

Initially, a pair of volunteers would pick up empty delivery bags in Fountain Hills, drive into Scottsdale to the Life Care Center, leave the empty bags, pick up the packed bags, deliver the meals to the clients and then drop off the empty delivery bags at a contact here in Fountain Hills.

Shea Boulevard was a two-lane road back then and often it was difficult to maneuver around the construction that was going on to widen the road.

Over the years, other locations such as Scottsdale North Hospital and two restaurants in Fountain Hills were used to prepare the meals.

Then in 2001, Fountain View Village opened its doors and became the meal provider for the Home Delivered Meals program.

The facility had the capability to provide “special diet meals” in addition to “regular” meals, which was a great addition to the program, Lemieux said.

As years passed and the client base increased, volunteers were delivering almost 28 meals a day on one route, which was taking about half a day.

It was decided to split the route into two routes with no more than 16 meals per route. This would require double the number of volunteers.

Once again, a letter was written to the editor of The Times and dedicated volunteers stepped in to fill the need.

Today, the program has two routes and approximately 200 volunteers.

Volunteers serve another purpose, besides delivering the meals. They are often the only contact clients have all day and provide a wellness check to help ensure the client’s wellbeing.

“They are the eyes and ears of the Home Delivered Meals program and often alert us to customers with additional needs,” says Nita Blose, the current coordinator for Home Delivered Meals.

If one would like to know more about the Home Delivered Meals program, contact the Activity Center at 480-816-5226.