Phone Pals: One Year Later

To help ease the isolation of the pandemic, SGSNY launched the Phone Pal initiative in April 2020, pairing volunteer callers with our senior beneficiaries. Volunteer Nichola Taylor reflects on her experience—one year later.

Nichola on set at the 2019 Tony Awards.

I’ve worked in the theatre business for over 30 years, and when the shutdown first happened, I suddenly found myself unemployed. I really missed having a daily routine, so I started volunteering with several programs - all of which I’m still involved.

As a member of the St. George’s Society of New York, I reached out to find out how I could help. Both of my parents back in Scotland are in their 80s, so I understand the importance of connection with our seniors. Becoming a Phone Pal and checking in with a senior beneficiary was the perfect opportunity to volunteer in a safe environment.

I was assigned to a super lady, and we speak three times a week. It’s been lovely getting to know her, and incredibly rewarding to hear the joy in her voice when we chat. We talk about all manner of things: the weather, what we’ll be having for dinner that night—I enjoy learning her Trinidadian twists on her favorite recipes—the news of the day, and the like. But they’re not just frivolous conversations, but ones with real substance: she shares a wealth of wisdom from her many years of living in New York, her views on politics, society, and her deep-rooted faith. Whilst I usually initiate the calls, I especially appreciate when she phones me, because I know there’s some concern on her mind that she particularly wants to share - whether it be current events, the lockdown, the recent snowstorms, or her health updates.

Here we are one year later, and I still truly enjoy my chats with my Phone Pal. My takeaway from this experience is that anyone and everyone can make a difference. Something as simple as a phone call can brighten someone’s day. Do it repeatedly… you can brighten their life. And potentially yours.