Every week at the recovery house, Monica Bardin received ten free meals in a box.
The 34-year-old from the northwest side had her favorites: steak and eggs, and walking tacos. She could pop the frozen food in the microwave in between job hunting and house meetings.
Most of all, the meal deliveries helped her focus on recovering from addiction. After being injured by a horse, Bardin was given pain pills for a year. After the prescription ended, she began using heroin and meth.
Eventually, after time in prison, Bardin sought treatment. Part of that journey was NO Limits to Recovery, an Indianapolis Meals on Wheels program that sends food to people in recovery.
“I needed to rebuild myself from the ground up,” Bardin said. “It helped because I knew I was going to be fed. I was able to maintain my sobriety.”
For three months, the program tailors meals based on a participant’s medical needs. It also connects them to a peer coach who supports their progress and provides harm reduction supplies, including Narcan and hygiene kits. Monthly pantry boxes are delivered, too.
“When a lot of people think about recovery, they don’t think about food,” said David Carpenter, a meal director at Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana who manages the program. “But our basic needs have to be met before we can focus on changing behaviors.”
Many participants struggle with food insecurity due to incarceration, homelessness or unemployment. “Sometimes, people don’t have the money or transportation to buy nutritious food,” Carpenter said. “That’s why we bring it to them.”
So far, the program has served about 200 people and delivered over 16,000 frozen meals. To join, people need a referral from a peer coach, case manager or residential supervisor. They must be living in a recovery residence in Marion County or moving into one within 90 days. These temporary houses are safe living spaces for people with substance use disorders.
Bardin learned about the program through her husband, Levi Melangton. The 33-year-old became a client in late 2024 after graduating from a recovery house and moving to a transitional apartment. He relied on the meals while taking classes at Ivy Tech.
“It was a huge help for me during a stressful time,” Melangton said. “I knew I was one or two bad decisions away from throwing away everything I’d worked for.”
On June 10, 2026, he celebrated two years of sobriety. Most weeks, he and Bardin cook recipes inspired by the Meals on Wheels deliveries they used to get. Their favorite is fried chicken with panko breadcrumbs.
‘NO’ stands for Nate Otolski
The program’s name is intentional. The ‘NO’ stands for Nate Otolski, a former outreach coordinator at Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana.
Years ago, during a conversation with Carpenter, Otolski came up with the idea of delivering meals to folks in recovery. Before this, the organization primarily served older adults and people with disabilities.
“We talked about how like 90% of fights at recovery houses start because someone took somebody else’s food or can’t afford it,” Carpenter said. “And if there is food, it’s high in sugar, sodium and fat.”
Both of them had personal experiences with recovery and wanted to change this reality together. But before the program got started, Otolski died from an overdose in 2022.
“Every time somebody opens a meal, they are engaging with the memory of Nate,” Carpenter said. “He is the reason the program exists, and why people are able to get the food they need and stay sober.”
NO Limits to Recovery used initial funding from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to buy the weekly meals. But now, as that support tapers off, the program has gone from serving 30 people to just 15.
Carpenter is applying for grants and asking the community to donate.
“When people are on our waitlist for more than two weeks, a lot of them end up relapsing or leaving the recovery house,” they said. “We want to provide services as soon as possible.”
If you are interested in joining the program or referring someone, you can email dcarpenter@mealsonwheelsindy.org.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
