Mobile Meals and Community Food Bank Announce Planned Merger
Tags: Community, Food Bank, Mobile Meals
Strengthening Our Home-Delivered Meals Program.
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona have
announced plans to merge, creating a stronger and more sustainable future for home-delivered meal services across Southern Arizona. The organizations are targeting an effective date of October 1, 2026.
For more than 56 years, Mobile Meals has delivered nutritious meals directly to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and others facing barriers to accessing food. As community needs continue to grow, leaders from both organizations believe bringing the two missions together will help ensure these essential services remain available and strong for years to come.
Protecting the People We Serve.
L’Don Sawyer, CEO of Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, said the decision was guided by one central question: how to best protect the people who rely on the program every day.
“Mobile Meals has always been about more than delivering a meal,” Sawyer said. “It is about making sure people who are vulnerable, isolated, or facing health challenges know that someone cares and that their community has not forgotten them. This partnership allows us to preserve the heart of Mobile Meals while providing the stability and support needed for the future.”
Continuing a Legacy of Service.
Leaders emphasized that services will continue without interruption throughout the transition process and that volunteers, donors, community partners, and staff will remain central to the program’s success.
Natalie Jayroe, CEO and President of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, said the organization is committed to preserving the relationships and trust that Mobile Meals has built over decades of service.
“Mobile Meals has earned the trust of this community through decades of compassionate service,” Jayroe said. “We are honored to help carry that legacy forward. Our goal is to strengthen and support this program while preserving the care, connection, and dignity that have made Mobile Meals so meaningful to the people it serves.”
Building a Stronger Path Forward.
Following months of evaluation and planning, the Board of Directors determined that the merger represents the strongest path forward for the organization’s mission.
“The Board’s responsibility has always been to safeguard the future of this mission and the people who depend on it,” said Peter Loya, Board President of Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona. “After careful consideration, we believe this partnership honors Mobile Meals’ remarkable legacy while creating long-term stability for the clients, volunteers, donors, and community that have made the organization so successful.”
Expanding Access to Care.
Mark Brown, President of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona Board, said the merger
reflects both organizations’ shared commitment to sustaining and expanding access to care for
Southern Arizonans who face barriers to nutritious food.
“By bringing together the strengths of both organizations, we can protect the legacy of Mobile Meals while expanding our ability to serve Southern Arizona,” Brown said. “This merger reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that neighbors who face barriers to accessing nutritious food can continue to receive meals, compassion, and connection for generations to come.”
Serving Southern Arizona Together.
Current Mobile Meals services will continue without interruption throughout the transition
process. Volunteers, clients, donors, and community partners can expect ongoing communication as integration planning moves forward. At this time, the organizations expect the Mobile Meals name to continue as Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, an enterprise of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
About Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona has served Southern Arizona for more than 56 years, delivering
fresh, nutritious meals to individuals who face barriers to obtaining healthy food. The organization serves older adults, individuals with disabilities, and people requiring medically tailored meal options.
About the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona serves communities throughout Southern Arizona through food distribution, nutrition programs, and hunger-relief initiatives. The organization shares Mobile Meals’ commitment to ensuring all residents have access to nutritious food.
