VANCOUVER -- It appears seniors are taking advantage of special shopping hours set out by many grocery stores.
A Save-On-Foods location in Surrey had a long line outside of older residents waiting to pick out their essentials Friday morning.
Seniors could be seen lined up outside the door before the store opened for its designated shopping hour at 7 a.m.
"There are a lot of seniors who need help, and I'm one of them," said the man who was first in line.
There were so many people that employees contacted CTV News, saying they were concerned about the size of the crowd.
They said many people were not maintiaining physical distances in the lineup and in the store. At one point Friday morning, the store had to temporarily close the doors to limit the number of seniors inside.
While some are able to get their groceries themselves, there's help for those who can't as well.
The province announced increased funding Thursday to help those who are more isolated, less mobile, or vulnerable to COVID-19 due to existing health conditions.
Seniors who aren't sure where to turn for help can call 211, and be paired with a volunteer or existing service in their community.
They're encouraged to call for everything from groceries and medication to virtual visits and social calls. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/looking-to-help-b-c-will-now-match-volunteers-with-isolated-seniors-1.4869430
The same number can be used by members of the public looking to volunteer.
