Disabled, no car: Kent woman praises home delivery service

November 3, 2023

Lorie describes her lifestyle as “off the grid”, but it’s not by choice. Like many of our neighbors receiving the Food Bank of Delaware’s home delivery service, she’s disabled and lacks transportation. While she enjoys her home in a rural area west of Dover, she’s new to the area and unable to build community connections. Her monthly food delivery from Amazon is a lifeline. “I really don’t know what I would do without it,” she said.

After learning about the home delivery program from something she saw on TV about 8 or 9 months ago, she signed up. The Amazon home delivery program is intended for Delawareans without transportation or for those who are unable to leave their home to visit local food pantries. Deliveries occur once a month. Non-perishable food boxes are delivered by Amazon and Amazon Flex drivers.

Boxes are not delivered automatically. Neighbors using the service need to request a box each month. To request a box each month, sign up by the 20th of the prior month at midnight. For example,  neighbors would like a box delivered in December need to sign up by Nov. 20.

Lorie grew up in Maryland as an only child; she moved to Delaware a couple of years ago after she inherited her grandmother’s home. “My father was a plumber, and he is a hard man, but he has the biggest heart,” she added. Her parents live just over the state line, and Lorie helps care for them and her teenage granddaughter who lives with them. Her mother is declining, so Lorie enjoys preparing soup for her parents; her father picks it up. “I have no family but my parents,” she explained.

In her earlier years, Lorie describes her self as active, a hard worker. “I was a bus driver. I did all kinds of jobs. I worked since I was 15.” Her active life stopped after weight-loss surgery in 2009. “It didn’t work. I lost 300 pounds in 10 months, but now I have nothing but problems. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have had it. I was 32 then, and disabled since I was 34. I’m 54 now. I want to work, but my body won’t let me,” Lorie said.

“I get Social Security disability, but I live off the food that’s delivered. So many people need it. The food in the box – it’s wonderful, and everyone is so nice. The drivers are nice; they let me know when they are coming. I don’t know what I’d do without. I don’t eat much, but I’ve never been hungry.”