“I am very appreciative of this service,” said Lee, a current “Groceries to Go” Client. “It eases the burden of shopping while allowing me to prepare my meals in my own home.” This is a testimonial from a senior currently using Senior Services of Alexandria’s (SSA) newest program, Groceries to Go (G2G), a free grocery delivery program for seniors who are 60+ and who live within the City of Alexandria.
A recent city statistic attributed to the 2009-2013 American Community Survey reports that 5,000 Alexandria seniors 65 and older live alone. SSA provides services for seniors who are homebound through its Meals on Wheels program, but there is a group of seniors who are not necessarily homebound, but find grocery shopping difficult and want to continue to prepare their meals in their own homes. The G2G program is filling this unmet need, and SSA is looking for volunteers to meet the growing demand for the program.
Through the G2G program, screened volunteers deliver groceries to seniors every other Thursday of each month. Volunteering for this program requires a few hours or less of your time one or two days a week, every other week. You can help by calling seniors on the Tuesday prior to a shopping week to take their grocery order over the phone; by picking up and delivering groceries on Thursdays between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.; or by assisting with in-store grocery shopping on Thursdays.
SSA believes that volunteers also provide a vital link to the community and outside world to seniors who otherwise have limited mobility. This program is an important addition to SSA’s larger Senior Nutrition Program, with the intent of increasing senior safety, health, and nutrition.
If you would like to volunteer for this exciting new program, or if you know of a senior who could benefit from the G2G program, please contact SSA directly at (703) 836-4414, x120, or email groceries@seniorservicesalex.org. All volunteers receive an individualized, one-hour training by an SSA staff member. We would like a six-month commitment from volunteers.