Throughout the pandemic, thousands of vulnerable, elderly New Yorkers have faced the challenges of COVID-19 and old age alone. One of those homebound elderly New Yorkers is Lynne.
From Broadway's dazzling lights to the intimate cabaret stage, Lynne has spent nearly all her life entertaining her fellow New Yorkers. But it wasn't the applause or fame that kept Lynne working until just a few years ago. It was the camaraderie and sense of belonging.
Now, Lynne spends most of her days by herself. The audience, the cast, the crew are long gone, and her only family is out West. Before the pandemic, a younger friend would sometimes come by to take Lynne to a show. With Covid-19, that respite is gone too. Lynne's friends have left the city, and she knows it's not safe to see anyone. The isolation is suffocating.
Lynne struggles to balance herself in front of the refrigerator, and she finds herself forgetting items simmering on the stove, so she is unable to cook or shop for food. Though Lynne's doctor suggested Citymeals because she wasn't getting enough nourishment, it's the few moments of human contact that have come to mean so much.
For 40 years, Citymeals has nourished the bodies and souls of thousands of isolated older New Yorkers. Add your name to pledge your support for Citymeals's ongoing work, and you'll help provide meals and friendly check-ins to Lynne and the thousands of vulnerable elderly New Yorkers like her.
