The Neighbors Who Care Dinner Delivery program grew from a simple, heartwarming desire to ensure homebound seniors receive a hot, nutritious meal. In the beginning, the operation was wonderfully grassroots. Functioning much like a non-digital version of modern delivery services, our program coordinator spoke with clients daily to take their meal orders. Volunteers then drove directly to various local restaurants, paid for the meals, and hand-delivered them to seniors’ homes.

While effective, this early method was complex and challenging for our volunteers. The team soon streamlined the process by establishing client accounts to handle payments, but volunteers still had to navigate restaurant pickups before starting their delivery routes.

We knew there had to be a better way to simplify meal distribution and better serve our community. The turning point came when Joan, our dinner delivery coordinator at the time, met with Executive Chef Gabriel Garfio, who was working in a Sun Lakes community. Recognizing the need, Gabe proposed an inspiring idea: he would launch his own culinary business and become the dedicated personal chef for Neighbors Who Care.

In 2022, Gabe began crafting daily meals out of his parent’s professional restaurant kitchen, Taqueria Factory, located near Arizona Avenue and Ray Road. He prepared the food fresh every day and brought it directly to the Neighbors Who Care office. From there, volunteers could easily pick up pre-packaged meals and deliver them warmly to our clients’ doors. 

Since making that transition in 2022, the Dinner Delivery program has experienced incredible growth. What started as serving about 50 clients a month has expanded to supporting more than 120 seniors. Our impact has soared from delivering roughly 200 meals monthly to reaching milestones of over 1,400 meals in a single month.

Chef Gabe’s personal journey has flourished right alongside the program. He has since purchased his very own Taqueria Factory location at Alma School Rd. and Ocotillo Rd, where he now masterfully balances running his own successful restaurant while continuing to serve as the dedicated Neighbors Who Care chef, nourishing both the bodies and spirits of our homebound neighbors.