Delivering groceries and hope during COVID-19

(Courtesy of Jayde Powell)

Student Jayde Powell writes about founding Shopping Angels, an organisation keeping vulnerable populations safe through free grocery delivery.

In mid-March 2020, I found myself in the middle of Reno-Tahoe International Airport, talking to my mom on the phone as I waited for a flight home to Las Vegas. It was the start of the COVID-19 crisis and I was heading home for spring break. 

“I’ll have to let you go now,” my mom said. “I’m going to call our neighbors to see if they need anything picked up from the store.” 

After saying our goodbyes, I thought about all the seniors who needed groceries and supplies, but who were afraid of leaving their homes out of fear of contracting COVID-19. I realized that as a low-risk young adult, it would be so easy for me and my friends to help them. I wanted to do something, anything to help contribute to my community and assist those who are most at risk during this unprecedented time.

“I thought about all the seniors who needed groceries and supplies, but who were afraid of leaving their homes out of fear of contracting COVID-19. I realized that as a low-risk young adult, it would be so easy for me and my friends to help them.”

— Jayde Powell

In the airport, I put together a quick Instagram advertisement calling for volunteers in the Reno and Las Vegas area. My post read: “A program where young adults volunteer their time to pick up your groceries and other shopping necessities, so you can stay safe at home!” I called the service Shopping Angels. It was a simple idea inspired by what my mom was already doing for our neighbors. I posted it on Instagram and asked friends to do the same. Then I boarded my flight.

An hour and a half later, I finally landed in Las Vegas. My mom greeted me with the news that my Instagram post had been sent to the local FOX News affiliate office and they wanted to interview me about the services we wanted to provide.

During my interview, I talked about our initial efforts to gather volunteers — mainly from my peers at the University of Nevada — and the support we had received from our community so far. I advertised an email address and offered my personal cell phone number for clients and volunteers to reach out. It snowballed from there. I started receiving upwards of 20, 30 and then 40 phone calls each day from volunteers, community leaders and clients seeking assistance from Shopping Angels. It wasn’t long before I knew that I needed help. I was spending well over 40 hours a week organizing, coordinating and recruiting, which was a challenge with my remote studies. Luckily, many other pre-med students volunteered to help, many of whom are still on our leadership board today.

(Courtesy of Jayde Powell)

After CNN and FOX News featured our work, volunteer registrations began to pour in. We received thousands of sign-ups from across the country. Within two weeks, the organization had been mentioned by the president of the U.S. Over 7,000 people across the country were willing to put themselves on the front lines for our most vulnerable populations. I was humbled by this outpouring of support — never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it possible for this idea to grow so quickly. 

Our work began in Nevada and grew to other states. Some of our busiest states include California, Florida and Ohio. Volunteers drove over an hour to deliver to a client in a remote area. Volunteers purchased birthday cakes and cards for clients, and clients gave handmade gifts of gratitude to volunteers. The most beautiful thing about Shopping Angels is seeing friendships formed and fostered through a simple act of kindness. Volunteers have told us that they’ve made a real connection with their clients — some offered extended and repeated services and some even hoped to one day join their clients for lunch.

I’m a pre-med student from a small town in Nevada, and Shopping Angels became a worldwide phenomenon with volunteers across the U.S., Australia and Canada. The success of this organization is possible thanks to the hard work and efforts of our volunteers — our shoppers, our coordinators and my fellow officers. Everyone involved has dedicated themselves to our mission: keeping our vulnerable populations safe through the simple act of delivering groceries to their door.

(Courtesy of Jayde Powell)

Thanks to the overwhelming support, Shopping Angels has also evolved to address food insecurity. While figuring out all of the legal and financial documentation we needed to keep on record, we launched the Sponsor Angel program where individuals can directly “sponsor” a client in financial need in their state or across the country to help them pay for their groceries. We’ve delivered over $4,000 worth of sponsorships so far, and this number is growing each day.

With the progress and delivery of vaccines and our gradual return to normal life, many volunteers have had to go back to their regular places of employment. However, Shopping Angels will continue to grow. In the future, we hope to connect seniors and individuals with disabilities with free delivery services and work alongside hospitals and other health care providers to support clients recovering from medical procedures or treatments.

If you are looking to contribute to a cause that is dedicated to helping the most vulnerable communities across the country, Shopping Angels is a perfect fit for you. Although in-person shopping is needed on a case-by-case basis depending on the location of our clients, we have many fully-remote positions that contribute directly to getting these services to those in need. You can visit our website for more information and register as a shopping volunteer, or reach out to executive@shoppingangelsglobal.org for an updated list of available remote positions.

A professor once taught me that the cure to many of life’s anxieties and worries is connection. During this time of significant isolation, it’s more important than ever to check on your neighbors and loved ones — even if it’s just to drop off a bag of groceries.