CITYMEALS ON WHEELS DELIVERS MORE THAN 15,000 THANKSGIVING MEALS TO HOMEBOUND OLDER NEW YORKERS

(November 28, 2024 - New York, NY) - Citymeals on Wheels delivered more than 15,000 Thanksgiving meals today to older New Yorkers across the City. Working in partnership with community-based organizations, including Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center on the Upper East Side, Citymeals volunteers delivered meals along with friendly check-ins, reminding their older neighbors they are not alone on the holiday.

“Citymeals on Wheels delivered over 15,000 Thanksgiving meals to older New Yorkers in need this year,” said Citymeals CEO Beth Shapiro. “But what we provide is more than a meal. That knock on the door and friendly chat with our volunteers is so important at this time of year, which can be especially lonely for the people we serve.”

One in 10 New Yorkers over 60 is food insecure – lacking reliable access to adequate food. That number is even higher among those who are homebound and no longer able to shop and cook for themselves. Among Citymeals’ recipients:

• More than half are over 80 years old, nearly 20% are over 90 and almost 400 have lived at least a century.
• 57% live alone; 40% rarely or never leave their homes; 8% have no one with whom they can talk on a regular basis other than their meal deliverer.
• More than half are food insecure and living on less than $15,000 a year.