As Nevada’s senior population continues to grow, so do waitlists to apply for local senior food assistance initiatives like the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s Meals on Wheels program.
Since 1975, the nonprofit organization has leveraged grants and private donations to deliver pre-packaged meals to residents over 60 years old who are homebound due to illness or disability. Today, it enlists nine drivers to serve more than 2,400 clients each week.
But with a nearly 20% decrease in its budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, and the looming threat of additional federal funding cuts, Catholic Charities itself is now in need of a helping hand.
President and CEO Sara Ramirez says the reduction partly stems from federal cuts issued earlier this year by President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. While she says the cuts primarily affected the nonprofit’s refugee resettlement program, other programs like Meals on Wheels were also impacted.
As a result, she says the nonprofit now has less money to accommodate the more than 1,000 seniors who are on the program’s growing waitlist.
“As a whole, food insecurity across the United States is on the rise. Every statistic shows us that, and the number of phone calls that we receive from new individuals seeking our services is another affirmation that this is true,” Ramirez says.
Last year, the Catholic Charities Board of Trustees foresaw the need to expedite the Meals on Wheels waitlist. Members jumped at an offer from fellow member Tom McCormick—president of local homebuilding company Touchstone Living—to raffle off a brand-new home to mitigate the gap.
“It was the result of the need to really raise some more dollars outside of federal, state and local government funding that could help us sustain ourselves proactively. We would love to raise a little over $700,000,” Ramirez says.
Tickets are being sold through July 31, with the final drawing set for early August. The winner—who must be present in Nevada when they purchase their entry—will be able to choose between the three-bedroom home in North Las Vegas or a $250,000 cash prize.
El programa de Comidas a Domicilio de Caridades Católicas del Sur de Nevada continúa entregando comidas a más de 2400 clientes en la región, a pesar de que la organización sufrió un recorte del 20% en la financiación federal a partir del 1 de julio. Sin embargo, la agencia está recurriendo a la recaudación de fondos para ayudar a reducir la diferencia.
The creative solution is one of several local campaigns intended to help offset growing food insecurity among seniors.
According to Feeding America’s 2025 Map the Meal Gap Report, Nevada’s 2023 food insecurity rate for adults 60 or older was 9.5%, meaning more than 75,000 elder Nevadans lacked access to the nutrition required to meet their basic needs. Seniors with a disability are nearly three times as likely to fall under that definition.
In Las Vegas, disabled seniors like former teacher Beverly Blake, 79, continue to depend on Meals on Wheels to help them overcome these barriers. She’s been a client “on and off” for over 15 years now, but her needs recently surged after a stroke left her in a wheelchair.
In that span, Blake says she’s seen Catholic Charities make a continuous effort to incorporate healthier options and a greater variety of offerings.
“When I was working at a preschool, I did their meal planning for them. So, I know exactly what to look for, and Catholic Charities really does bring us good food. It’s never too salty or spicy—just like you’d make for your mother,” she says.
The Meals on Wheels team also features a staff nutritionist who ensures the meals don’t include unhealthy levels of sodium and sugar and customizes plates for seniors with specific dietary needs. They also provide additional supplemental items like fruit, vegetables and a gallon of milk, with pet food available upon request.
The service is about much more than sustenance. One of Blake’s favorite aspects of the program lies in the camaraderie she gains from her delivery drivers.
“When you live alone, it’s so nice to have visitors and so wonderful to know that somebody with a good heart cares and wants you to have a good meal,” Blake says. “And on your birthday, they’ll bring you a piece of cake. That makes you feel real—like you’re a person and somebody remembers you. I know it sounds silly, but it’s exciting.”
Ramirez says Blake’s experience is far from an outlier.
“We don’t just drop it off at the front door. If they’re okay with it, we also come into the home and do safety checks. We find that 99% of them will say yes, because many of them are craving that connection to the community,” she says.
For Ramirez, the most important component of the program is that it “allows somebody to age in place.”
“Some individuals don’t have disposable income coming in because they’re retired or on Social Security. And when they can’t drive or cook, meal delivery is the next best option, because they won’t have to go to a state Medicaid-assisted living facility,” Ramirez says. “They also get to retain their independence, which is so important in our lives.”
While Blake calls Catholic Charities’ Meals on Wheels “the best thing that happens to old people, period,” it’s one of several local nonprofits focused on reducing senior food insecurity in the Valley. Among the key players is Three Square Food Bank, which offers assistance through collaborations with DoorDash’s Project DASH and East Valley Family Services’ Golden Groceries program.
Another notable example is the Just One Project’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program, which served more than 13,000 seniors in 2024.
With the Meals on Wheels waitlist expected to continue to grow, Ramirez remains optimistic that the raffle will help the program and its clients navigate an uncertain future. She adds that all of the funds raised will benefit that mission.
“When government cuts happen, the demand for our services doesn’t go down. One of the main reasons we’re doing this raffle is to get people off that waitlist, because we haven’t and won’t cut back on our clients,” Ramirez says.
Meanwhile, while Blake is thankful to have Meals on Wheels as a lifeline, she says she’s also starting to worry about the impact that proposed federal cuts to government assistance programs like Medicaid and Medicare could have on seniors like her.
“If I didn’t have my Social Security, my [social security income] and my Medicaid and Medicare, forget it. I wouldn’t make it. I’d be out the street in a wheelchair with my dog,” Blake says. “So, I do get political, but that’s only because I give a darn.”
To enter the drawing, visit catholiccharities.com/events/new-home-raffle.
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