ACTS of service take many forms, such as assisting someone who needs a helping hand.
The quotation “They also serve” from which the headline is taken goes on to say, “who only stand and wait.” These words appear in the last line of the poem On His Blindness by John Milton. Born in 1608, Milton passed on in 1674. By 1652, Milton had become totally blind aged just 43. This forced him to dictate his verse and prose to amanuenses, who copied them out for him.
The sentiment behind “They also serve who only stand and wait” implies that each one of us has a place in this world and performs a function, regardless of our ability or disability.