Volunteers doing shopping for people stuck at home

HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) - Dorene Junkin and her husband, Eldon Booker, haven’t been able to leave their apartment since early March.

The couple live at Chrisoma West Independent Living at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege. The facility has been closed to visitors since March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Junkin typically did her own grocery shopping once a week but now is staying home to limit her exposure to the virus. She called Holdrege Marketplace about delivering groceries, and they told her about Gifts and Things Shopping Angels.

Gifts and Things owner DeEtte Bailey came up with the idea after seeing a story on “Good Morning America.” A similar shopping service is being offered by group of volunteers in Buffalo County.

Bailey’s parents recently had moved from Lincoln to Holdrege, and she was concerned about them going to the grocery store during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have told them they need to stay home, and we will shop for them. I’m thinking there are lots of people who don’t have people to shop for them. They shouldn’t be going out and about to the grocery store,” she told the Kearney Hub.

Along with wanting to provide a service to the community, Bailey also wanted to keep her employees busy during this time.

Gifts and Things is open, but foot traffic into the store has slowed to almost nothing, Bailey said. Customers also may make purchases on the Gifts and Things website and via social media.

With the slowdown in the business, Bailey has had to cut her employees’ hours at the store. When she asked her employees if they would be willing to shop for area residents who are homebound, they immediately jumped on board.

The Gifts and Things Shopping Angels shop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The service is offered free of charge, and the Shopping Angels will go to any store in town.

“We have people tell us we are crazy. They can’t believe we are doing this for nothing,” Bailey said.

The Shopping Angels have a designated phone number customers may call - 308-991-9597 - to arrange a shopping time . The Angels pick up the list and form of payment, which are left on the customers’ doorstep at the scheduled time. No contact is made between the Angels and the recipients.

Since beginning the service in late March, Gifts and Things temporarily have taken over Holdrege Marketplace’s delivery service. Monday was the Shopping Angels’ biggest day with 15 deliveries.

“I think it’s only going to get busier as things get real,” Bailey said.

The South Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging is partnering with Buffalo County Community Partners and area churches to offer a similar service in Buffalo County. They are seeking volunteers - 308-234-1852 - who are able to get groceries, run errands, pick up prescriptions, etc., for elderly and disabled people.

“We are just getting started,” said SCNAAA Executive Director Rod Horsley. “We probably have a dozen volunteers.”

Money can’t be exchanged between the volunteers and recipients, so volunteers will work with people to order groceries online, pick up the items and deliver them without making contact. The agency provides funding and oversight for 20 senior centers in 14 counties, and they will begin doing wellness checks to see if seniors have enough groceries, medication or anything else they might need. They plan to offer these services for as long as it is needed, Horsley said.

Junkin plans to use the Shopping Angels service until it is safe for her to leave her home.

“I think it’s just a wonderful, wonderful thing that they are doing. I really feel they are angels sent from the Lord,” she said.