It was a chilly morning in February when Girl Scout Troop 4503 hit the streets of Manhattan to deliver meals to their homebound elderly neighbors. The seven girls — accompanied by their troop leaders — met bright and early at Encore Community Services just off Times Square. There, they were split into smaller groups and given a list of names and addresses and the meals they needed to deliver.

“They were just ready to go!” says Amanda Ettinger, one of the troop’s leaders. “It was one of those really cold days, but not one girl complained about it. They were happy to do this.”

Each group made several deliveries. “The first one was ten blocks away,” says troop member Zoe.

We were providing two types of nourishment: food and our company.

When they arrived at their destinations, the girls took turns pressing the elevator buttons and knocking on the doors. They weren’t shy. And though they took their job seriously, it was clear they were also having fun, eager to greet whoever answered the door. “I think it was the fact that they were together doing it,” Amanda says.

Troop 4503 was formed just last year. Since then, the girls have advanced from the rank of Daisies to Brownies. Now, at eight years old, they’re learning more about the different ways they can volunteer their time and resources to help others in their community. “We do jobs, like pick up trash or try to raise money to help people in need,” says Zoe.

Going out on a meal delivery with Citymeals illustrated one of the ways people, especially older people, experience food insecurity. It was a valuable teaching moment. “We introduced the word ‘homebound’ and what that really means,” says Amanda. “Yes, somebody could walk to the door, but could you imagine them going out in this cold?”

After all the meals had been delivered, the girls returned to Encore to create handmade cards, which will be included with future meal deliveries. “We were providing two types of nourishment: food and our company,” says Amanda. She said many of the girls are eager to do it again.

Zoe is one of them. She says she likes volunteering. As she explained: “It makes me feel happy and grateful.”