Volunteers Ready to Help with Grocery Shopping
If any older New Providence adult feels uncomfortable grocery shopping due to the rising number of virus cases in our area, a local group of volunteers is ready to help. New Providence- Our Community For All, the nonprofit founded last spring to support an age-friendly New Providence, provided free volunteer grocery shopping help to older adults in New Providence during the early months of the pandemic. They have volunteers signed up now, too, ready to be of service.
“Our shopping recipients have been relieved not to have to shop,” says Chanda Yonzon, Volunteer Coordinator for the program. “One of our program participants even told us it allowed her to rest well at night, knowing she didn’t have to go into a crowded grocery store.”
The program has provided some lighter moments, too. “Acme has been a great business partner! They gave us a gift card to use to buy a balloon and small cake for our grocery shopping recipients on their birthdays. It really brightened the day for an older adult staying home to stay safe,” said Yonzon.
Each user of the service is matched with just one volunteer, who does their shopping as needed. For each shopping trip the volunteer shopper is immediately reimbursed for the groceries by the older adult, by check. A neighborly bond is formed between the two New Providence residents.
“It’s been heartwarming how many New Providence neighbors have volunteered for this project,” said Patricia Jacobs, Executive Director of New Providence-Our Community For All. “The stories they tell us of their connections show us how important it is to be part of a supportive community, for both the older adult and the volunteer. Everyone wins.”
To get connected to a volunteer to help with shopping, call Chanda Yonzon, Volunteer Coordinator, at 908-451-3331 or email chanda_belle@yahoo.com. To become a grocery shopping volunteer, please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040b4ea9a92fa0f94-senior.
New Providence-Our Community For All is grant-funded by The Grotta Fund for Senior Care, an advisory council fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ. Learn more about the group and their other projects on their website, npocfa.org.
