‘The biggest blessing in disguise’

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This article was published 27/04/2021 (1813 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steven Kuzyk wasn’t really sure what to do when he first got laid off.

The last thing the Winnipegger imagined doing was picking up and delivering groceries for a living, especially for a San Francisco-based company. But it ended up being the best thing to work out for him almost entirely because of the pandemic.

Back in early spring, Kuzyk thought the coronavirus would be done and dusted within a matter of weeks. Little did he know, he’d lose his job once again — just a few months later — when the second wave of COVID-19 cases arrived in Manitoba last year.

The 29-year-old had been studying at nursing school in Winnipeg, while he worked at a local restaurant to pay his dues.

The first lockdowns of 2020 meant his job at the eatery just didn’t exist anymore. And even when he was hired back over the summer, by the time the season began to change, he was laid off once again in the fall.

“They told us they weren’t sure the restaurant would actually be opening again,” Kuzyk told the Free Press. “But in a way, it’s definitely been the biggest blessing in disguise because I was able to get this job, which is so much better than I ever thought it could be.”

Kuzyk is now one of 1,100 personal shoppers across Manitoba for the grocery and pick-up service Instacart.

What started as a suggestion, made by a friend when he was looking for a new side hustle, has quickly become a nearly 60-hour-per-week occupation with over 900 deliveries since he started.

“And the best part is, I can work whenever I want with complete flexibility,” said Kuzyk, who still finds time to finish his schoolwork and spin on his bike at home when he’s not working.

“I don’t know a lot of jobs that’d be able to provide this kind of opportunity for flexibility and growth, all while I’m still in school.”

Today, Instacart is launching a new campaign, where the company is putting a spotlight on 59 personal shoppers across Canada and the U.S. like Kuzyk. Those workers will be surprised by a year of free groceries and a subscription to Instacart Express.

“From college students and retirees to busy moms and dads, Instacart shoppers make up a diverse and inspiring community of individuals who stepped up and served as household heroes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Apoorva Mehta, founder and CEO of Instacart, which has paid out nearly US$4.2 billion in shopper earnings since March, 2020.

The company has hired around 300,000 shoppers since the onset of the pandemic, and invested around US$30 million for their health and safety. That’s resulted in an increase of 40 per cent in year-over-year shopper earnings for Instacart.

“We’re incredibly grateful for every shopper, and are inspired by their stories and the extraordinary service they provide to customers every day,” said Mehta. “Shoppers played an essential role in communities across North America, helping millions of people safely and seamlessly get the groceries and goods they need delivered to their home.”

But for Kuzyk, working for Instacart is about more than just the money — although that’s exceeded his expectations, too — it’s the sense of joy he gets when he’s able to help someone elderly or in need of assistance within his community.

“I remember very vividly when it was around Christmas and someone had ordered a large ham from Costco,” he said. “I felt so awful when the store had run out because I know that was probably their dinner. And so, after I’d already fulfilled the rest of their order and delivered it, I texted another Instacart shopper who quickly held one of the last remaining hams for me at another store.

“When I went back to their place and delivered that, they started crying because it was so unexpected for them.”

Something like that isn’t within the average Instacart shopper’s job requirements. But then again, neither is making friends while you’re working for the company, which most people would describe as “lonely work” to Kuzyk.

And yet, both of those are things that he cherishes most about his vocation.

“It’s the most unexpected thing — being able to find a job within this pandemic and then meeting one of your best friends,” he said. “Somehow, I’ve been able to do both and I’m so happy how it all worked out.”

temur.durrani@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @temurdur