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...