I am so grateful to the Astoria Co+op for offering me the option of picking up my groceries without going into the store. I really cannot tell you what a great boon this option has been for me. I am 71, with asthma.

When the pandemic became an undeniable reality, I followed the guidance and hunkered down in my home. But I worried about grocery shopping, even as the folks at the co-op did their best to make the store — the new magnificent store — safe for all.

Last March, the co-op introduced grocery pickup. And since that time, my groceries have always been ready on time, and always delivered to the trunk of my car with a smile.

I am now fully vaccinated. And in the coming days I will be able to resume in-store shopping, and truly, I can’t wait — what’s more fun than shopping at the Astoria Co+op?

I made it through the last year without contracting COVID-19, and the employees at the co-op are a big part of my success. By finding a way to continue to provide me with the healthy and safe food I rely on, they made my life easier in hard times.

The co-op’s willingness to contribute this service, free of charge, to people in the community who needed extra help to get safely through these times, reflects the special character of the co-op: Strong and kind and generous.

CATHY CRUIKSHANK

Astoria