Dedicated hours for seniors at South Bay grocery store
Dedicated hours for seniors at South Bay grocery store
Starting Tuesday, Zanotto's Family Markets is offering a dedicated hour for seniors and only seniors to shop. It’s a way for seniors to take a break from the supermarket chaos and help the most vulnerable deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Starting Tuesday, Zanotto's Family Markets is offering a dedicated hour for seniors and only seniors to shop. It’s a way for seniors to take a break from the supermarket chaos and help the most vulnerable deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
At Zanotto's Family Markets in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood, people are stocking up with a shelter-in-place order taking effect.
Grocery stores are one of few places people are allowed in. As some shelves go barren, the owners of Zanotto's asked themselves, what could they do to help seniors, a segment of the population that is hit hardest by the coronavirus.
“The easy thing for us to do was to give them an hour at least in the morning,” said Khadija Zanotto of Zanotto’s Family Markets. “That way we can clean and sterilize everything before at night and have the store stocked as possible before they enter.”
The family-run market is shortening its hours temporarily and will allot the 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. hour only for customers ages 60 and up.
“We’ve been in business for 44 years,” said Zanotto. “A lot of people helped us through these years and are the ones targeted by the coronavirus so anything we can do to help, we're here.”
Volunteer Mary Sidlauskas is fulfilling phone orders for seniors for curbside pickup.
“I sure as heck would rather help people out than sit and watch TV,” said Sidlauskas.
On Monday, Santa Clara County announced two more deaths. Three of the four people who have died are over the age of 60.
There are 24 new cases of COVID-19. The county now has 138 cases which is the most in the state.
For seniors ages 70 and up, Tony and Alba’s Pizza in San Jose is delivering free pizzas within a two-mile radius from the store. Donations have enabled the business to throw in free salad.
“There are a lot of seniors who are just homebound and don't really have anybody that can help them out,” said Al Vallorz, owner of Tony & Alba’s Pizza. “You know them, give us a call and we'd be happy to help.”