Customer Support Volunteer

"Miss Margaret & the Mysterious Cat Food Label"

Miss Margaret, 87, is hard of hearing, a little forgetful, and a frequent caller. Today, she's called four times, and this time, she’s been on the phone with you for over an hour, asking why the cat food listed on Harrisburg Shopping looks different from the one she saw on Walmart’s website — even though she doesn’t own a cat.

She keeps drifting into side conversations about the weather, her grandkids' soccer games, and has asked you at least a hundred times if it’s raining today. You’ve repeated yourself multiple times, and she’s still unsure whether she actually placed a cat food order or not. What was your name again? Are you John's friend?

❓ What do you do?

"The Missing Instructions = Missing Dinner"

Today is Mr. Jay’s 51st birthday — but things aren’t going the way he hoped.

Jay has a disability that affects his executive functioning, which can make it challenging to follow multi-step instructions or plan ahead. He ordered a frozen pizza kit from Harrisburg Shopping, thinking it would be quick and easy — just pop it in the oven.

But when the kit arrived, he realized it required additional prep — and the mushrooms and green peppers he saw in the picture on the box weren’t actually included. Mushrooms and green peppers are his favorite and the only reason he ordered the kit. He didn’t know he needed to supply those himself. Now, he’s confused, frustrated, and feeling let down.

Jay calls and says:

“I just wanted to celebrate my birthday with my own special pizza.”

He’s not angry — just disappointed. And it’s his birthday.

❓ What do you do?

Miss Mariah, age 34, is homebound and lives with severe anxiety and PTSD. A frequent caller, she’s always polite, but often deeply anxious — and especially fearful when it comes to deliveries.

Today, just after placing her grocery order, she called right away with a familiar concern:

“Please, don’t let the driver knock — I get really scared by knocking or ringing. Can you make sure they don’t do that?”

If someone does knock, Mariah will hide in her apartment and won’t answer the door — even if she desperately needs the items.

When you check her account, you see a standing delivery note:

“To help Mariah feel more secure, drivers call her name through the mailbox slot instead of knocking or ringing the doorbell.”

This small accommodation may seem minor, but for Mariah — who calls every time to confirm it’s in place — it’s the difference between receiving her order and being too frightened to open the door.

❓ What do you do?

You must be at least 18 years old to volunteer as a customer service representative for Harrisburg Shopping.

By signing up, you acknowledge and consent to the following:

• A nationwide criminal background check (all 50 states)

These checks are conducted confidentially and respectfully, and they help us ensure the safety and trust our community depends on.

We know that volunteering is an act of kindness—and this step simply helps us match that kindness with responsibility. Thank you for understanding and for being part of a volunteer network that our homebound neighbors can count on.

Photo & Document Upload Requirements

As part of our commitment to keeping our homebound neighbors safe and secure, we kindly ask all customer service volunteers to submit the following documents and photos:

Required Uploads:

• A clear photo of yourself (Volunteer ID Badge)

• Your valid identification (front and back)

These images help us confirm identities, maintain accurate volunteer records, and offer peace of mind to our homebound neighbors we serve.

As a customer service volunteer with Harrisburg Shopping, you’ll be supporting real neighbors in our community — many of whom are elderly, disabled, or medically vulnerable.

Because of the nature of your role, you will have access to certain sensitive customer details, including:

• Full name

• Delivery address

• Order history and preferences

Please note: You will never have access to any payment information, such as debit or credit card numbers or bank account details. That data is securely encrypted and handled only by Harrisburg Shopping’s payment processor.