Samantha Coots was looking for something fulfilling in her life a couple years ago. She wanted a more meaningful vocation than medical billing.

Samantha Coots: ““I fell in love with (shopping for others) … It filled that empty spot.”

“The medical office just got unfulfilling for me,” said Coots. “It was a lot of routine, behind-the-scenes work.”

Little did she know where fate was going to lead her.

Needing a change of scenery and wanting a way to make a difference, a TV ad for Instacart grabbed Coots’ attention. The ad was encouraging people to apply, so Coots took a leap of faith.

“I thought, that would be kind of fun, so I took it as a sign,” said Coots.

She found fulfillment for herself while fulfilling orders – especially during the pandemic.

And, for that, she is being honored by the online grocery shopping service in Instacart’s “Beyond the Cart: A Year of Essential Stories” campaign designed to honor and recognize the shoppers’ essential roles during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 59 shoppers, representing every state and Canadian provinces where Instacart is available are being honored. In appreciation for their efforts, Instacart presented these shoppers with a full year of free groceries.

Two years ago, the world was a very different place. When Coots first started her role as a shopper, her workload was laid-back and consistent; she was mainly serving the needs of routine customers.

“It was about the same every week,” said Coots. “Orders would come in later in the week; getting weekend orders was very normal.”

Little did she know how drastically things would change in eight months. Once the pandemic hit and lockdown became the new normal, customers clamored to Instacart in droves for their grocery deliveries.

“The grocery stores opened early, the orders would come in, one right after another. I had Costco orders coming in at 6 a.m.,” said Coots. “It was non-stop, I was working 10-to-12-hour days, seven days a week, from sunup until 10 p.m., as long as the stores were open. My goal was to serve as many as possible. There were days where I forgot to eat.”

For Coots, having a sense of humor was key – especially during a time when there wasn’t much to laugh about. There was the persistent issue of grocery stock outs, situations where reasonable substitutions weren’t even available. Once there was stock, it was usually not the best quality replacements.

The humor often worked both ways.

Coots related a situation involving toilet paper. She texted the customer, telling her that the only paper in stock was single ply. The customer quickly replied, “thank you, but we’re not at that level of desperation, yet.”

Since joining Instacart, Coots has made nearly 2,000 deliveries. She has enjoyed getting to know many of her repeat customers.

To be a top-notch shopper, Coots said, “Take time to learn the grocery store, keep an open mind, ask questions, don’t make assumptions, make sure they (the customers) are getting what they want.”

Now that the pace has settled down a little, Coots cherishes the flexibility in her work schedule. There is the convenience of picking up work as it fits her schedule.

She also appreciates the freedom to be at home with her three kids. Instacart has also become a family affair for Coots; her love of her work as a shopper inspired her husband to also sign up.

“I fell in love with it,” said Coots. “It filled that empty spot.”

Fueled largely in part by the pandemic, Instacart has experienced tremendous growth. Since March 2020, the number of active shoppers grew from 200,000 to 500,000, resulting in Instacart recording more than $4.2 billion in earnings. Additionally, Instacart has spent more than $30 million in providing more than 750,000 health and safety kits to its shopper community.

The Instacart shoppers have served as a lifeline to millions of people. From finding new earning opportunities, to saving up to buy a house, or simply looking for a way to give back to the community, each shopper has enriched their own lives and the lives of others through their role at Instacart.

“This past year, hundreds of thousands of 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,” said Apoorva Mehta, Founder and CEO of Instacart. “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.”