Two years ago, Walmart announced that all stores in several states in the South and Southwest will have Caroline’s Carts. Target said most of their stores have at least one.
In the Philadelphia region, Giant said in a statement that the company introduced Caroline’s Carts a few years ago, and they remain available today. WakeFern, the parent company of ShopRite and Fresh Grocer, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Arc of Pennsylvania, a state chapter of a national advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, had talked about approaching the big grocery stores in the state to see how many have Caroline’s Carts. However, it would take a lot of effort, said Jessica Capitani, a communications consultant and former board president.
She used to specifically look for stores in her area that have Caroline’s Carts. Her son has Down syndrome and juvenile idiopathic arthritis and had to use a wheelchair at one point, but Capitani could not push a shopping cart and a wheelchair at the same time.
“I would find myself crying in stores at times because it was just so difficult to try to shop with him,” she said. “When I knew a store had Caroline’s Carts that just changed everything.”
The efforts to expand access to these carts continue.
A few months ago, the Arc announced every Caroline’s Cart in the country will have a sticker showing the organization’s logo, and a QR code that people can scan to request more carts in their local stores.