When we talk about Crosslines’ Homebound Shopping Program, it’s easy to focus on the groceries.
But sometimes, the most important thing our volunteers deliver is connection.
Years ago, we served a gentleman we’ll call Billy. He was a big, burly guy who had spent his life working hard in blue-collar, labor-intensive jobs. But as he grew older, life changed. Billy became disabled and could no longer drive. Even more difficult, he had outlived the members of his family.
He was largely alone.
Through our Homebound Shopping Program, Crosslines paired Billy with two volunteers who began helping him with his regular grocery shopping.
At first, the relationship was practical. Billy needed groceries, and our volunteers could help.
But week after week, something else happened.
They became friends.
The volunteers learned what Billy liked. They talked. They checked in on him. They noticed when something seemed different. For a man who had very few people left in his life, those regular visits became a lifeline to the outside world.
We discovered just how much they meant to him when Billy fell in his home.
He didn’t call 911.
He called his Crosslines shoppers.
Thankfully, his volunteers were able to make sure Billy received the help and care he needed. But that moment has always stayed with me, because it says so much about what this program really does.
Yes, our Homebound Shopping volunteers help people access food when age, disability or transportation makes shopping difficult. But they also show up. They listen. They notice. They become familiar faces in the lives of neighbors who may otherwise experience profound isolation.
They create community where there may be none.
And we need more people willing to do just that.
Could you become a Homebound Shopper?
You could go alone, or even better, grab your spouse, a coworker, a friend from church, or someone from your small group and serve together. We’ll connect you with a homebound neighbor who needs a little practical help — and perhaps, like Billy, something even more important.
You may think you’re signing up to help someone get groceries.
You might just become their lifeline.