Fresh Produce Provides Hope for Seniors
Pie in the Sky nourishes physical and emotional needs in St. Johns County.
Article Author: Deborah Circelli
Article Date:
The heartbreaking calls Pie in the Sky founder Malea Guiriba receives daily from low-income seniors and help from generous volunteers is what has kept her going for 16 years.
One 98-year-old shared she only had a half jar of pickles and old can of tuna to eat.
A couple in their 70s were in the hospital with COVID-19 and returned home to spoiled food. They only had crackers and a can of soup. Pie in the Sky had food to them within the hour.
A 72-year-old, who has no transportation, was hungry, lost human connection and hope. A volunteer delivered a bag of food filling her refrigerator and cupboards.
“She had hope again,” said Guiriba, chief executive officer. “You can’t put a price on that.”
From its warehouse in St. Augustine, the nonprofit delivers fresh, healthy, and nutritious produce at no cost to about 780 low-income, seniors throughout St. Johns County. Seniors get a delivery every other week. Through generous donations, Pie in the Sky purchases the freshest local produce and adds other food items donated by an array of other organizations.
"It can happen to any of us"
Food insecurity was identified as a need through the Community Health Needs Assessment, which is conducted by Baptist Health along with other local nonprofit health systems.
Guiriba said the need for food among seniors is on the rise as prices continue to increase as well as the cost of living.
“One catastrophic illness or home repair and the next thing you know, you have no food in your house. It can happen to any of us,” Guiriba said.
She’s grateful to area organizations like Baptist Health, who not only donate monetarily, but volunteer.
So far in 2025, Pie in the Sky has added 151 new seniors to its deliveries. This is a significant increase from 2024 when only 67 new seniors were added during the entire year.
“We are only halfway through the year, so that is a little bit terrifying,” Guiriba said. “But thanks to the generosity of organizations like Baptist Health, we will meet the needs. Our goal is to never say no to a hungry senior. These seniors are often called the ‘hidden hungry.’ Folks who come to us typically only do so when they have exhausted all other options. "
Little pie shop started it all
Guiriba started Pie in the Sky in 2009 at what was then a little pie shop on Main Street in Hastings, west of St. Augustine. Money from selling pies helped the underserved with a variety of needs. The program has evolved from assisting farmworkers to a network of volunteers now delivering food to homebound seniors, who are not only hungry, but dealing with loneliness and chronic illnesses from lack of healthy food.
“What we are doing is proactively keeping people out of the hospital,” Guiriba said. “The food is the medicine. It’s tackling the problem before it starts.”
Baptist Health, including team members from Baptist Medical Center South, have helped with a variety of events and needs over the years.
“Volunteering with Pie in the Sky has been a rewarding experience and has been a tool for engaging the Baptist South Team in the care of the community beyond the walls of the hospital,” said Kyle Dorsey, hospital president for Baptist Medical Center South. “At Baptist South, we have a Social Determinant of Health goal to reduce food insecurity in our community. While patients are in the hospital, we are screening them for food insecurity and connecting them to resources, like Pie in the Sky when there is a need.”
Baptist Health has also equipped Pie in the Sky with additional resources, including a cargo van and funding for produce to expand their reach, Dorsey said.
Kimberly Peppers, director of Clinical Quality for Baptist South and Clay campuses, said Baptist South committed this fiscal year to positively impacting food insecurity within both the in-patient population and community.
“Pie in the Sky is an essential partner with helping us achieve this goal,” Peppers said. “We’re nearing the completion of our first phase, which focused on making sure all of our inpatients have access to necessary resources upon discharge."
Guiriba said she is so fortunate to be surrounded by and held up by a community that cares and wants to connect with seniors.
“We place deep value on everything—every hour generously volunteered and every penny thoughtfully donated,” she said.
Baptist Health partners with local nonprofit organizations and civic leaders to lead initiatives that address real health inequities in our communities. Read more
