From the moment Cheryl and Margaret met — at the Wegmans in Manhattan where they both work — they saw something they both recognized.  “We connected on so many levels,” Margaret says. “And one of the things was our passion for people and to volunteer.”

“We have the same heart,” Cheryl says. 

As the leader for Wegmans' Community Cares program, Cheryl was the one who initially reached out to Citymeals on Wheels. She’d been volunteering with Citymeals since the pandemic, packing and delivering meals. To Cheryl, a partnership between Wegmans, a grocery store chain, and Citymeals, an organization providing food to the city’s most vulnerable population, just made sense. 

It was also an issue that hit close to home. “Food insecurity has always been a part of me — I grew up with it,” says Cheryl. “And it doesn’t go away, even when the resources are there.”

“I’ve also experienced food insecurity over the years, especially during the pandemic,” says Margaret. “I’m in a better situation now, but like Cheryl said, the feeling doesn’t really go away. And you find yourself, if you’re able to help others, spreading the love as best you can.” 

The first time Cheryl and Margaret went out on a meal delivery together, Margeret recognized the name of a couple who share her Polish heritage. After delivering their meals, Margaret spent the next few minutes excitedly chatting with them at the door. “I just couldn’t stop talking,” Margaret says. “I felt like they could be my grandparents.” With her own grandparents long since passed, spending time with this older couple, who reminded her so much of them, was something special. “I cried,” she admits. 

We’re showing up, not just with a meal. We’re having a moment.

Since then, Cheryl and Margaret have been the driving force behind Wegmans’ meal deliveries. They’ve helped organize special moments for our recipients, like delivering flowers along with a meal on Valentine’s Day or small decorative pumpkins in the fall. “We’re showing up, not just with a meal. We’re having a moment,” Margaret says. “It’s so meaningful.” 

It’s not hard for them to recruit other willing volunteers. When Cheryl and Margaret go out, it’s with a group of no fewer than 15 employees. They try to do the same route every time, so they can build a strong bond with their older neighbors. “I think it’s very nice they see the same familiar faces often.”  

That includes the Polish couple from their first delivery. “Cheryl makes sure that they’re on our list,” says Margaret. 

“They get very excited when they see Margaret,” adds Cheryl. “They do!”