Coronavirus In Minnesota: "I'm Helping Others," Says Grocery Delivery Worker Serving Vulnerable Communities
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Grocery delivery workers are doing more critical work than ever.
Shipt, the company that delivers for Target, has hired 70,000 personal shoppers in just the last few weeks, doubling its workforce.
What is a weekly task for most, is a full-time profession for Kim Villafana. She's a personal shopper for Shipt, and delivers from Target and Kowalski's. "It's a great job, I'm helping others, I'm doing something I like. I'm able to make my own hours," she said.
Villafana does the work because she knows she's making a difference. "I'm working about 40 hours a week, delivering to senior citizens, to young families, to hospital workers who don't want to go out in the stores and expose people. It's just been a fantastic gift to me to be able to serve others," she said.
It was just a couple years ago, that others were helping Villafona. She is a breast cancer survivor. "I had a lot of support, people helping me, delivering groceries to me, everything I had to go through for the nine months," she said.
So now she's passing it on, making more than 1,300 trips for Shipt. Her whole family is joining the cause; they are Shipt shoppers too - going out when so many need to stay home.
To stay safe, Villafona is wearing gloves, a mask, and sanitizing her car - but it's still a risk. She says though - that the reward is bigger, "I am very proud to do this. I'm proud to serve Shipt, I am proud to serve others."
Shipt is paying shoppers 30 percent more during the pandemic.
They are hiring full-time as well as several other services.
Other shopping companies, like Instacart, Lund's and Byerly's, and HyVee are hiring as well.