Dorothy knows what it takes to feed people. “You name it, I can cook it,” she says proudly. One of her best dishes is her barbequed spare ribs. She smokes them for hours, starting early in the morning to make sure they’re done in time for dinner. They’re served with Dorothy’s homemade barbeque sauce, a closely held secret she keeps even from her daughter. “Did Macy’s tell Gimbels?” she asks with a laugh.

While Dorothy would love to cook every day, she no longer can. “I can’t stand up on my own,” she admits. It makes cooking a full meal almost impossible without help. Two years ago, Dorothy was getting dressed when she rolled her ankle. The pain was so bad, she had to call an ambulance. Dorothy’s ankle hasn’t been the same since and she now relies on a walker to get around. She also had a stair lift installed so she can get to the second floor of her house. Her car sits unused in her driveway. Mostly, she uses Access-A-Ride to take her to doctor’s appointments and church. Sometimes, her grandson gives her a lift if he isn’t at work.

Dorothy was born and raised in a small town just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. She moved to New York City in 1959 to pursue her dreams of becoming a fashion designer. For years she made a living as a seamstress, continuing to work even after she was married and raising her two daughters. She only retired when the arthritis in her hands became too much. If not for that, Dorothy would have liked to keep working.

“I love New York. Everything is here.”

She’s the kind of person who needs to keep herself occupied. “My mind is working all the time,” she says. It’s why she started volunteering. She’s been volunteering at her church’s food pantry in Far Rockaway, Queens for the past 30 years. “That’s my calling — to help,” she says. Her dedication was recognized when she received the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Now, Dorothy is the one who needs help. She’s been receiving home-delivered meals from Citymeals for the past few years. She especially appreciates the holiday boxes. Each meal delivery enables her to stay in the Queens Village house she’s called home since 1967.

The neighborhood has changed a lot since then, Dorothy says. Only one neighbor, Miss Jackson, has been here as long as Dorothy. Everyone else has either moved or passed away.  She’s considered downsizing — and even thought of moving to Florida at one point. “But it wasn’t for me,” she says. “I love New York. Everything is here.” And Dorothy couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.