Shopping Angels eager to help those who need groceries, other items delivered
Usually, it's those in need who are looking for people to help them. But the opposite is true for the willing volunteers of Shopping Angels Illinois, who are in search of people to assist.
“I'm sure there are people to help,” says Patrick Boyer, a Round Lake Park resident and the Illinois state coordinator for what has become a national organization in a short time. “I can't figure out yet how to reach out to (those) people or let them know we are here.”
As the name describes, Shopping Angels volunteers deliver groceries and other necessities to those who are at risk of the coronavirus or prefer to stay home.
There is no charge for the service for those in need, typically senior citizens or people with heart, lung or immune system conditions.
“We also do help single parents who don't go out because they don't want to put their kids at risk,” Boyer said.
While the Illinois chapter has 190 volunteers, the services of only a few have been employed.
“Some people have contacted me, and I have reached out to them. They say, ‘We're good for now but it's good to know you are here,'“ said Boyer, a sales manager who has been working from home.
Shopping Angels was founded in mid-March by Jayde Powell, a premed student at the University of Nevada. Boyer said he had a similar idea and came across a TV report about Powell.
“I reached out to them saying, ‘I want to participate in this, how can I help?'” he said. There had been another Illinois state coordinator at that time, but Boyer said he didn't see anything happening and landed the title after inquiring further.
Shopping Angels now has more than 6,000 volunteers in every U.S. state, plus branches in Australia and Canada.
On April 11, Powell in a Facebook post welcomed the state groups.
“This program has received tremendous support from across the globe — and the response has been, to say the least, overwhelming,” she wrote.
Here's how the program works: Clients provide the service a list of 10 items they want picked up, and a volunteer in their area is located. The volunteer calls the person in need to confirm the items, brands and quantity.
When the purchase is complete, the volunteer calls back with an updated total cost, confirms it's acceptable and coordinates a time to exchange the items.
“I'm trying to find a way to spread the news,” said Boyer, a native of France who moved to the U.S. about 20 years ago. Boyer moved about seven years ago to Round Lake Park, where his wife, Sophia, was appointed to the village board in late 2017.
People can register as a client, as shopper/delivery driver or both, or as a coordinator by filling out a registration form on Google Docs. Also, email shoppingangelsil@gmail.com or call (224) 730-3343 for more information. Members can also connect with others in their state by visiting the national Facebook page.