Community Food Bank Merges with Mobile Meals, Expands Board
The Community Food Bank has merged with Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, creating a stronger and more sustainable future for home-delivered meal services across the region.
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.
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.”
“Mobile Meals has earned the trust of this community through decades of compassionate service,” said Natalie Jayroe, CEO of the Community Food Bank. “We are honored to help carry that legacy forward.”
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.
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona served nearly 800 people in FY 2025, with 200 volunteers delivering 90,000 meals. Mobile Meals provides regular, special-diet and medically tailored options of ready-to-eat and heat-and serve meals. Volunteers delivering Mobile Meals provide not only food, but also consistent human contact to fight loneliness and isolation.
Six new directors have been elected to the board for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
- Beth Miller, communications and marketing executive, and board VP of Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona
- Leslie Perls, marketing, branding and nonprofit professional, partner and owner of LP&G Marketing
- Monica Kern, senior finance leader and treasurer of Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona
- Jonathan Bradley, healthcare information systems consultant
- Joshua Kassel, retired information technology professional and Community Food Bank volunteer
- Pete Schwarz, senior VP of strategic operations at the Autism Society of America, with experience as an engineer and senior project manager.
Photo courtesy The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
