Volunteer Grocery Shoppers Needed in Somerset County Program

She’s 90 year old, loves her modest apartment and can pay for and prepare her own meals, but she is not able to shop for groceries, so Mrs. Bron S. considers her Volunteer Shoppers from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, Bridgewater Family Service Center to be “a blessing.”
 
“I couldn’t do it without them,” she says of the volunteers who have shopped for her since early this year. “This is a wonderful program and it is also my pleasure to talk to the volunteers about their lives and share a little bit of myself.” 
 
Often the difference between an elderly or disabled person being able stay comfortably in their own home or having to move to a facility, or elsewhere is the ability to get their groceries delivered.  In Somerset County, the Senior Shoppers program is making that difference and more volunteers are needed.
 
“We are always looking for shoppers and people who need shoppers,” said Bob Hurte, Volunteer Coordinator. “This service has an immediate positive impact on the lives of these seniors and both the seniors and volunteers enjoy the interaction during deliveries.”
 
Mrs. S., who was born in the Ukraine receives her groceries through volunteers who are adult students, supervised by Frank Schneider, Transition Coordinator at The New Road School of Somerset, a New Jersey approved private school for students with disabilities ages 12 to 21 who have learning, language and social challenges. Mrs. S. said the volunteers have become like her “grandchildren.”  For Easter, she made elaborately decorated Ukrainian eggs for each of them. 
 
Operated by Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen for the Somerset County Office on Aging, the program currently serves 84 low and moderate income elderly or disabled people who otherwise could not remain in their homes and preserve their independence.  There are currently 40 Volunteer Shoppers and more are needed to assist a current waiting list of about a dozen potential clients.  All volunteers must pass screening and background checks.  Volunteer Shoppers of all ages shop and deliver groceries, which are paid for by the clients.  All clients are referred from the Office of Aging and are at least 60 years old and have low-moderate income.
 
If you would like more information, or to volunteer, call 908-722-1881 and ask for Bob Hurte.  Seniors can also request this no fee service by calling the Somerset County Office on Aging at 1-888-747-1122.