It if wasn’t for Citymeals, we wouldn’t be here. 

Anita and Giora’s apartment on the Upper West Side is eclectic, the walls full of vibrant prints and paintings — most of them Giora’s. The shelves are stacked with books and keepsakes from their travels, arranged just so. That’s all Anita, Giora readily admits. “That’s Anita’s mind,” he says, “a designer’s mind.”  

Anita has a doctorate in art history, specializing in Indo-Islamic architecture. For years, she taught at the university level. It was a job that once took her all over the world. But no matter how far she traveled, Anita never found anywhere she loved as much as New York. “I always thought of it as the center of the world — at least, my world,” says the 81-year-old Bronx native. “At this age, I can’t imagine moving anywhere else.” 

Originally from Israel, Giora came to New York City to further his career as an illustrator. Over the years, his work has appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He has illustrated over 40 children’s books.

When he’s feeling good, Giora still paints. He finds the practice of creating healing. “It’s like meditation for me, tuning into the energy of the body,” he explains. Even after he retired, Giora continued to teach. As his mobility declined, his students came to the apartment for their lessons. But now even that has become too much. “For many years, I worked through the pain,” he says. “Until I couldn’t anymore.” 

Giora suffers from painful peripheral neuropathy. It can leave his feet numb or send shocks of pain shooting up his legs. It makes going from room to room in their apartment a slow and agonizing effort — never mind leaving it. “He’s homebound,” says Anita. Giora uses a wheelchair. And, while their building has a makeshift ramp out in front, Anita struggles to maneuver both Giora and his chair down it, especially after her last fall.  

The couple has been receiving home-delivered meals for the last five years. “It if wasn’t for Citymeals, we wouldn’t be here,” Anita says. The weekly deliveries allow them to continue living in the apartment they’ve called home for over two decades.

Giora, in particular, appreciates the Breakfast Box they get. Delivered once a month, it contains 30 days’ worth of morning staples, like eggs and oatmeal, providing recipients with the components to make another meal in addition to their regular deliveries. “It’s good because of the variety,” says Giora, “so you don’t have the same meals.”