Special Shopping Hours For The Elderly And The Vulnerable

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – From toilet paper to hand sanitizer, grocery stores all over the world are experiencing shortages.

Consumers everywhere are stock piling groceries.

This tactic may help out your home, but your decisions are beginning to hurt the elderly and people who are at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Food City’s CEO, Steven Smith says, “Now, we would encourage people not to hoard products. We would encourage people to shop in normal shopping patterns. Certainly our elderly folks, folks that may have pre-existing conditions that really don’t need to be in the store maybe if they don’t have to be curbside delivery is great for them, We do have home delivery so that’s going to continue to grow.”

Many stores like Food City, Publix, Dollar General and Fresh Market have at least an hour designated for vulnerable shoppers.

Sandra Bramlett has already been taking advantage of the early hours.

Bramlett says, “I am so appreciative that they even thought about the elderly and even those that are more vulnerable so that we can have an opportunity to come in and shop and do it without being nervous about things and other people around. I just appreciate them thinking about the seniors.”

The Dade County Sheriff’s department is available to make deliveries for pre-paid grocery’s at the local walmart and pick up prescriptions from the local CVS.

Sheriff Ray Cross says, “We’re even going to go to Walmart in Tiftonia for our citizens that are 65 and older that need help with this virus. We don’t want them to have any kind of contact or any kind of exposure to that because they are the ones that this is affecting the most.”

Sheriff Cross says , “Our citizens come first so we’re trying to do everything that we can. All of our officers, all of our staff and officers are still on duty. So, we’re going to stay here through this thing until we get through it and help our citizens as best we can.”

Below is a list of local stores that are offering elderly hours:

Big Lots: The first hour of operations each day.

Dollar General: The first hour of operations each day.

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, our first hour of operations will be dedicated to our senior shoppers. All stores will also close an hour earlier in order for employees to clean and restock shelves. Learn more about these change here: https://t.co/53rc2gMeVr

— Dollar General (@DollarGeneral) March 17, 2020

Fresh Market: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Monday – Friday

Food City: 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. Daily

We are temporarily adjusting our hours of operation. Effective Tuesday, March 17 our store hours will be: 7am – 10pm daily. We invite adults 65+ and other at-risk customers to shop between 7am – 8am to avoid busier shopping periods.

— Food City (@FoodCity) March 17, 2020

Publix: 7 a.m.- 8 a.m. Tuesday & Wednesday

Target: First hour of business on Wednesday’s

Walmart: 

To better serve our customers and support our associates, Walmart U.S. stores are making the following changes: https://t.co/SFfKBdos5z pic.twitter.com/StIx9p2adE

— Walmart (@Walmart) March 19, 2020

Whole Foods: First hour of business daily.