Meet Miria: A Heart of Gold and Strength

Meet Miria—a fashionista with a heart of gold. Known for her unique sense of style and infectious laughter, Miria is someone you can’t forget.

As a young woman, she was a true athlete at heart. Though she excelled on the basketball court and would occasionally play football with her siblings, but her love was baseball, where she played on her local team. Through her athleticism, she earned a prestigious President’s Physical Fitness Award and a special signed plaque from various former presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson—a moment she will cherish forever.

For over 25 years, Miria worked as a mason. In her career, she built walls, mixed cement, laid bricks, and created curb appeal for the homes and buildings she worked on. However, the work was physically demanding, and over time, it took a toll on her body. Eventually, Miria made the difficult decision to retire early. Despite her years of hard work and commitment, she faced financial challenges in her retirement years.

Now in her golden years, Miria has been living in a one-room apartment at The Orchard Senior Living Community in Mesa with her protective but loving dog, Liberty Bell. Miria has made the most of her time at The Orchard. A little over a year ago, Miria started receiving food and attending United Food Bank distributions right across her apartment. She receives one of United Food Bank’s Commodity Senior Food Program (CSFP) boxes and additional foods like salads and pastries every month. For Miria, this extra help has provided her with a sense of stability in her life.

“It means that I wouldn’t have to worry about not having food,” explained Miria with gratitude. “I did not ever want to think about not having food, so I am blessed to have United Food Bank.”

Fortunately, she isn’t alone. Since moving into The Orchard over two years ago, she has found a sense of community with her fellow residents. Like Miria, many of her fellow residents struggle with stretching their finances to supplement their needs. But what Miria loves about living in The Orchard is how everyone helps and looks out for each other. 

In addition to her social circle at The Orchard, Miria enjoys attending church every Tuesday and spending time with her son, a proud Navy veteran, and her grandkids. Over the holidays, her grandkids gave her a fun makeover where they dyed her hair a bright red!

Thanks to the generosity of donors and United Food Bank, Miria no longer has to worry about where her next meal will come from. Now, she can make plans for her future. On her bucket list, she wants to ride a donkey down the Grand Canyon. Thanks to the community’s support, seniors like Miria can continue to thrive and plan for the future, knowing they are supported.

“I think the food bank is excellent, and I appreciate everything that the food bank does for me,” said Miria. 

As 1 in 10 seniors in Arizona experience food insecurity, they have become one of the fastest-growing food-insecure populations in the United States. To see how you can get involved in United Food Bank’s mission of feeding Arizona, visit our website at unitedfoodbank.org/donate/. 

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