The holidays can be an especially lonely time for our older neighbors. While millions of New Yorkers gather around the dinner table with their loved ones, many Citymeals recipients will spend the holiday season alone.  

Through our research, we know that over half of those we surveyed live by themselves, 45% reporting that they don’t have friends or family who can help them with one meal a day, even during the holidays.  

That’s why, on Thanksgiving and Christmas, hundreds of Citymeals volunteers prepare, pack and deliver festive meals across the city. Many volunteers return year after year, making connected with their older neighbors a part of their own holiday traditions.  

Each delivery is more than a meal. It’s a moment of connection — a knock on the door that reminds our older neighbors that they haven’t been forgotten.  

Citymeals volunteers also help celebrate other special days throughout the year, including Lunar New Year, Mother’s Day, Juneteenth and Día de los Muertos. 

Whether you come once or return again and again, your time is the greatest gift you can give to thousands of older New Yorkers. Sign up for a holiday volunteer opportunity today.