Volunteering Brings Joy to the Door

Pete spent most of his adult life caring for his mother. When she passed away, he was left with a giant hole in his heart. Rather than succumbing to loneliness, however, Pete decided to find someone in the community who needed his help. An ad in his church bulletin gave him the idea to volunteer with Citymeals, where he met Mary. He had no idea how much this new friend would change his life.

Since he began volunteering with Citymeals four years ago, Pete has been visiting Mary every week. Mary lives in the house she built with her husband, but she’s had to live alone for the last 10 years, with only her memories to keep her company. Now, with Pete, she spends her time laughing and sharing reminiscences from her life.

Once a month, Pete takes Mary to the bank to deposit her social security check. He knows how much she depends on that small check, and he wants to make sure she gets all the help she needs. Over the last four years, Pete has also given Mary a gift greater than money – the caring hand and willing ear of a new friend.

Their favorite visits are the ones when they sit around Mary’s kitchen table and share memories with each other. The smile of a friend can get you through the hardest day, and for the homebound elderly this can often be the greatest gift of all.

It’s not just Mary who treasures their time together. Pete says his family has grown by one more. He tells our staff that his relationship with Mary gives him greater joy than he ever could have imagined. “I feel so rewarded every time I leave,” he says. “I used to do it for her. But I do it for me now, too.”

When you contribute to Citymeals, you help connect more than 1,500 volunteers like Pete with frail aged New Yorkers in every borough of our city. Please help bring solace to New York’s isolated elderly by making a gift to Citymeals today.