When it come to a feel-good job that offers the opportunity for professional growth, community involvement and personal rewards, it doesn’t get much better than co-ordinating Thrifty Foods’ Sendial program.
Just ask Lynanne Smith.
Smith joined the Thrifty Foods marketing and community relations department in 2006, after many years in the non-profit sector, including 16 years with United Way. After enjoying the challenge of several different roles within the Thrifty Foods family, an opportunity for a change came up last year when the company was looking to better define the burgeoning Sendial program. Here was a chance for Smith to put her background working with volunteers to good use.
“Sendial is a shopping and home delivery service for customers who can’t shop themselves in our stores,” explains Smith, who enjoys building connections not only with her volunteers, but also with customers.
Now 27 years old, the program has grown as the local grocery company has grown: “Sendial is everywhere Thrifty Foods is,” she says.
While many Sendial clients are seniors who find the service a great way to help them stay more comfortably in their homes, age is not a requirement; others include younger people with a disability, or those recovering from an illness, surgery or an accident, for example.
Regardless of the needs of the clients, the key to a successful program is the volunteers, men and women who place calls to clients, take their orders and do the grocery shopping. Friendly Thrifty Foods drivers then deliver the orders. In all, the program has close to 650 volunteers, who are asked to commit to one shift a week, averaging about three hours. “The only way we can actually execute this program is through the volunteers,” Smith emphasizes.
As the population in south-western British Columbia ages, the need for Sendial is expected to increase. “We see it as a definite need and we’re seeing huge growth.”
For the volunteers, the program offers a chance to make a real difference in the lives of people in their community. “You definitely hear many stories – people who are so appreciative – and the volunteers feel passionate about having that personal connection,” Smith says, noting that Sendial offers people who are otherwise independent the chance to stay in their own home. For those in seniors’ residences, food delivery offers flexibility so they needn’t have every meal in the dining room if they don’t want to.
“Sometimes it can be difficult for them to get to the market and we’re happy to fill that gap.”
Where family members have been taking mom or dad to do those chores, “let us take that task and you spend the time taking them out for lunch.”
For more details or to volunteer, visit the Thrifty Foods website or call 250-544-1234.