Nova Scotia grocery store workers use cash gift left for them to help seniors

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — After staff at a grocery store in Antigonish, N.S., recently received an anonymous cash gift, they decided to “pay it forward” by using the money to buy groceries for seniors.

Patti Hilton, manager of the Atlantic Superstore, said a man dropped off 10 sealed envelopes for store staff on Monday bearing messages such as “Thank you for working,” and “Thank you for all you’re doing during COVID-19”.

“I took them upstairs and wasn’t quite sure what it was,” Hilton said in an interview Wednesday.

She said she opened one of the envelopes and was surprised by what she found inside.

“Low and behold there was $40 in the envelope and there were 10 envelopes … so there was $400 that this generous person had dropped off.”

Hilton said during her staff’s daily meeting it was decided to “pay forward” the generous gesture by buying four $100 grocery orders for local seniors.

“They are so vulnerable right now and a lot of them can’t get out,” said Hilton.

She said the store is working with an official who deals with seniors in the Antigonish area to distribute the groceries — two orders have already been sent, and the remaining two are to be distributed later Wednesday.

Hilton said the store employees are appreciative of support they have received from shoppers and they wanted to do something for the community.

“It’s a good feeling when there’s not so much good going on right now in the world,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2020.

The Canadian Press