Updated 11.18.20
As we work to update our policies to minimize the potential exposure of our clients, volunteers and staff, we continue to monitor and reinforce the policies that we have outlined previously. This update is in response to the revised rules issued by the state that will be in place from November 16, 2020 – May 4, 2021. (available online here). The Store to Door Senior Management Team has reviewed the rules to ensure we are compliant with all rules and new requirements, including developing a staff training session. In both Fred Meyer shopping locations, we also operate under the policies of the stores (available online here).

In this update we want to underscore that we continue to promote and enforce Physical distancing. All employees and volunteers must maintain a distance of 6 feet or more to carry out their job and volunteer duties.  We continue to evaluate our Office space and our workflow practices in the Fred Meyer stores to ensure social distancing and, where possible, minimize the time that employees and volunteers are working in close proximity.

We also want to underscore our longstanding practice of requiring the proper use of a Mask as a face-covering. We require all individuals (including employees and volunteers) to wear a mask in our office, in our stores and when making client deliveries.  Mask requirements include moving around the office for even simple tasks like using the restroom or using the printer. Masks must be worn at all times in the stores.

If you are a volunteer with a medical exemption from wearing a mask, we welcome you to support our work as a volunteer from your home as an order-taker or making calls in our volunteer Friendly Caller program.  For the health and safety of Fred Meyer employees, customers, our staff members, and our other volunteers, we cannot allow volunteers in the stores or as a driver without a mask, even if the volunteer has a medical exemption.

We continue our ongoing practices of cleaning and sanitation. Hand sanitizers are available both in the office and the two stores.  We encourage all staff and volunteers to use sanitizer frequently.  In the office, we follow the cleaning protocol at least once a day.  Cleaning is a nonnegotiable for those of us in the office.  We have assigned a list of responsibilities, and we are on a daily sanitizing schedule wiping everything down and cleaning the bathroom. We have revised cleaning practices to ensure that we comply. In the stores, we follow sanitizing practices by frequently wiping down equipment.

We have established a COVID-19 infection and notification process for staff, volunteers and staff members. If a volunteer or staff member reveals that they have tested positive for COVID, they are required to quarantine until their healthcare provider gives medical clearance. Oregon rules require to tell employees, and volunteers of the positive test if staff members or volunteers “were within 6 feet of a confirmed COVID-19 individual for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more.”  If a client reports testing positive, we also have process to notify the drivers of a potential exposure.

Our practices have allowed us to increase the number of seniors and those with disabilities served, without interruption since the COVID Pandemic began last March. With the increase in the number of COVID cases, our Senior Management Team is doing all we can to be transparent and protect the health and safety of our clients, volunteers, and staff. If you have any questions, please contact our office at (503)200-3333. Thank you for your understanding.

Store to Door’s Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Store to Door is a nonprofit agency that is a volunteer-based grocery shopping and delivery service in Portland, Oregon serving over 700 clients annually.  We support independent living for seniors and adults with disabilities. Many of our clients are homebound or have limited access to the community.  Because we are delivering groceries to a vulnerable population we are taking our role in preventing the potential spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) seriously.  In fact, because our program reduces the need for seniors to shop for groceries in stores, we actually prevent vulnerable seniors from potentially being exposed to the Coronavirus.  Store to Door staff meets on a regular basis to ensure that we are taking recommended steps to protect the health of our staff, volunteers and clients. Our actions so far include:

1. In our office, we have implemented a mandatory stay at home when staff or volunteers are sick. We have also implemented an enhanced cleaning policy that includes daily, wiping down of doorknobs, counters, and keyboards as well as enhancing the cleaning of common areas and bathrooms. Signs about how to prevent coronavirus have been posted at our offices and information handouts are available to all staff and volunteers.

2. For the past two weeks, we have included an informational pamphlet about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) developed by the Oregon Health Authority (see here) in all client grocery deliveries.  We will continue to include these informational fliers in order deliveries to ensure that we reach all clients.

3. We are encouraging our order takers to work remotely from home for those volunteers seeking to reduce their potential exposure in the community.

4. When we take orders from clients, we inform them of our “no contact” or “limited contact” deliveries.

A no contact delivery is where the driver knocks on the door and leaves the groceries at the door (in paper bags). The delivery driver steps back 6 feet or more when the client comes to the door. The delivery driver waits while the client brings groceries into his/her home and the conversation with the client is at a distance of 6 feet or more.

A limited contact delivery is when both the client and the driver are comfortable with the driver bringing groceries into the client’s home leaving the groceries either at the door or on a counter in the kitchen according to the client preference.  The delivery driver maintains a distance from the client and steps back outside of the home after setting down the groceries. The conversation with the client is at a distance of 6 feet or more.

5. For volunteer shoppers, we are working with Fred Meyer to monitor their company actions (see here) related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). We require volunteers who are ill to stay home. We also encourage healthy volunteers to continue to support vulnerable seniors by shopping on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

We currently provide hand sanitizers and are also implementing social distancing strategies for staff and volunteer shoppers. If you can support us as a volunteer shopper contact Kelsey Hecker, at 503-200-3333 extension 108 or kelsey@storetodooroforegon.org

6. Store to Door staff is working closely with county government and community partners to coordinate additional prevention measures. We will update this bulletin as needed.

7. Finally, we are coordinating our actions with the Fred Meyer Stores where we shop to make sure that we are promoting the optimal health and safety of our staff, volunteers, and the vulnerable clients we serve. Please see the corporate policy of Fred Meyer for more information about the actions the stores are taking to prevent the spread of the virus (see here).

For more information about Store to Door’s response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), please contact Mark Fulop, MA, MPH, Executive Director (503) 200-3333 extension 101 or mark@storetodooroforegon.org