Mariano's looking to hire hundreds during COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has many of us distancing ourselves from shopping, leading to a hiring blitz at one grocery store chain.

And as the wider economy falters, more and more people are fighting for those jobs.

On Wednesday, lines formed inside the Park Ridge Mariano's of people not needing groceries, but instead desperate for jobs.

“I'm not surprised. A lot of businesses are not essential. They're not open right now and it's very heartbreaking for everyone who's in that situation, but we are hiring so we do need people to fill that demand,” said Amanda Puck, Director of Brand Development at Mariano’s.

Mariano's in suburban Chicago set out to hire 600 people Wednesday, to help get groceries to customers now shopping online instead of in stores.

A Park Ridge job fair was carefully orchestrated, keeping applicants 6-feet apart and then interviewing at a distance.

But Julie Woodward-Trenker, who just got furloughed, never even got the  chance to interview.

“She just told me like well, you know apply online. Maybe check different stores, keeping checking back and it's like ok, but I've got three kids and I need to get a job now,” she said.

The Park Ridge Mariano's was one of six suburban stores holding job fairs, showing the new need for help as more and more customers try to keep their distance from busy stores.

“There's been a big increase in customers wanting to shop online and pick up their groceries - really kind of limits the contacts, or have them delivered so we have seen an increase in this and that's why we're looking for people to help us,” Puck said.

The pandemic is not only changing how we get groceries, but how hungry we are for work.

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