Anthony Gorham, a member of the ShopRite “Shop from Home” crew, at work in Chester. Photo by Ginny Privitar.
Essential worker and Goshen resident Anthony Gorham is a member of the ShopRite “Shop from Home” crew who brings customers’ online purchases out to their cars in the pickup area of the parking lot. They are known as consolidators. The Chronicle recently interviewed Gorham about his job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How long have you been doing this?
“I’ve been working here going on four months now; right after all this started.”
How do you like it? Do you have any concerns?
“No (concerns). I like it — it’s a good job; fairly easy. It’s what I was looking for.”
What are they doing differently in ShopRite?
“We have gloves, face masks and sanitizer. We do temperature checks every day, have barriers for the cashiers and just being conscious and aware.”
Gorham was wearing a mask, but not gloves. “They give us the option. Me, personally, I do not like them. After a while, you’re out here and my hands get all sweaty from the latex. I’d rather just — you know, you can sanitize your hands, the same as gloves.”
Do you do anything differently at home or with your friends?
“Well, I haven’t really been able to see my friends — not all of them, anyway. But at my house — not really. In my immediate family, none of us really have any conditions that would be a concern.”
Gorham, 21, lives with his parents and a sister who is a nurse. He feels confident in asking her any health-related questions. His sister’s job as a nurse is not really a concern, either, because she changes and showers when she comes home from work.
What do you miss most?
“The gym. I miss the gym the most.” Gorham played football at Goshen High School. Do you have any equipment at home? “I do. We just recently got our basement redone and we’re going through the transition of bringing everything back in.”
- Ginny Privitar