It was raining the night Caryn and Michael had their first date, a torrential downpour, but it was memorable for other reasons, too. “The date was strange!” says Caryn with a laugh. The pair were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. When Michael came to her family’s apartment in Bushwick to pick her up, he was dressed in a raincoat, hat and galoshes. “My first thought was, ‘Oh my god, who is this man?’” Caryn’s mother said he looked like a fisherman. But under all that rain gear, Caryn thought he looked like a nice person.

Caryn came from an observant Jewish family. So did Michael — his parents were Holocaust survivors. It was one of the reasons they’d been set up. Though, Caryn still wasn’t sure if they’d click.

They went to the movies. It was Passover, so Caryn had skipped the popcorn and snuck in her own snack: chocolate-covered matzo. Just as the lights went down and the movie started, she slipped it out of her purse to eat. Turns out, Michael had the same exact idea. “There I am, taking out my matzo and I look over and he’s taking out his!”

The couple were married in 1964. In the six decades that followed, they had three daughters, two successful careers — Michael as a pharmacist and Caryn as an early childhood educator—and moved to New Jersey. “The only reason we were there was the kids,” says Caryn. So, fourteen years ago, Caryn and Michael moved back to the city where they fell in love. They couldn’t imagine retiring anywhere else.

It’s unbelievable to get food every day.

They love their neighborhood on the Upper West Side. There’s no need to drive since everything they need is within walking distance — or a short subway ride away. “I was very happy to get rid of the car,” says Caryn. “And I’m sure everyone was happy to get rid of me on the road.” Though, getting around has become more challenging for Michael over the last few years. After undergoing heart surgery, he can’t walk further than a few blocks. Subway stairs are especially difficult, especially while juggling grocery bags. It’s why he’s grateful to Citymeals. “It’s unbelievable to get food every day,” says Michael. “It’s remarkable. And the work the people who volunteer do is amazing.”

They especially appreciate the holiday boxes they receive. “The Passover box is amazing,” says Caryn. The box Citymeals delivered before the holiday was filled with Kosher for Passover food like gefilte fish, beef brisket, stuffed cabbage, grape juice and, of course, matzo. That will always be a hit in their household. “It’s all just wonderful.”