There are approximately 30,600 assisted living communities in the U.S. today, according to the National Center for Assisted Living. These homes offer countless services and special opportunities, one being meal deliveries. The Morris County Division of Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming runs “Meals on Wheels,” delivering meals to more than 1200 homebound seniors. 

At Kinnelon High School, members of the National English Honor Society (NEHS) have recently found a way to incorporate their skills into this organization. Filled with talented writers and creative artists, they design a batch of heartfelt notes and cards each month to accompany the delivered meals. 

NEHS advisor Aileen Florio initiated the idea by brainstorming who could be a good candidate for some cheer, deciding on the homebound senior community. She says, “I was trying to think of a real-life audience; not just for us to use our writing or art skills, but also to make an impact on somebody’s day.” She recognized that since they are already receiving meals, they should be given something along with that to make them smile.

Loneliness is becoming a crisis for people in the U.S. for different reasons and is felt in different ways. According to the American Medical Association, it is detrimental to mental and physical health. With the National Library of Medicine reporting community studies showing rates of severe loneliness among adults aged 65 and over, it is crucial for seniors to have something to ease these high levels. 

The writing aspect of the cards is nice because it allows students to put in a kind, personal note with hopes of making seniors feel seen. President Nathan Shurts shares that they have a lot of  “artsy” members, bringing a lot of unique drawings and paintings to the cards. 

Vice President Jordan Doty acknowledges that it is an outlet for them to express their creativity and knowledge about literature to create these messages. “NEHS members are asked to make drawings, coloring pages, jokes, or positive messages.”

Along with the sense of community that it builds for seniors, it is extremely rewarding for members of the honor society. “What the most interesting thing is, is that by the end of every meeting, we have something new that we created,” says Shurts. 

Many students feel as though the majority of school clubs and honor societies lack actual engagement. Shurts tries his best to cultivate a motivated group of students. He says, “There’s meetings for other clubs where you basically show up, you do something, you talk, and not much necessarily gets done. In our case, there is also something that comes up. It is cool to be able to say yeah, we accomplished that.”

Though the writing in these notes is not directly geared toward teaching English, Florio adds that they have endless goals to come to fruition that will enrich the knowledge of the English language. Currently, many ideas are awaiting approval such as making instructional video lessons for the elementary schools and developing a student newspaper for the younger grades. 

“We have a group of really excited and dedicated kids and hopefully they will make lots of those possibilities happen,” says Florio.  

NEHS members are driven to make an impact on everyone’s lives, and their handmade cards do exactly that. They will continue to use their writing to wish senior citizens well, reminding them that someone is thinking about them, even if they feel alone.

Meal Programs-https://www.morriscountynj.gov/Departments/Aging-Disabilities-Community-Programming/Food-Pantries-and-Meal-Services#section-1