PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 With grocery prices still straining family budgets across Arizona, a routine trip to the store can feel like a weekly stress test\u2014stick to the list, skip the extras and hope the total isn\u2019t a shock at checkout.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why the Arizona Family Surprise Squad partnered with Valley Toyota Dealers for a grocery giveaway designed to turn ordinary shopping runs into moments of relief.<\/p>\n
Inside the Fry\u2019s Food Store near 8th Street and Hatcher Road, Surprise Squad\u2019s Gibby Parra approached shoppers as they grabbed everyday staples\u2014breakfast items, water and weeknight essentials\u2014with an offer that stopped them in their tracks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Gibby with Arizona Family Surprise Squad, and thanks to the Valley Toyota Dealers, I want to pay for your groceries,\u201d Parra told one shopper.<\/p>\n
For that shopper, the help came at the right time.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a few goodies for the week,\u201d the shopper said. \u201cIt\u2019s so expensive. It\u2019s so hard to get what you need on a regular basis because of the expense.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Parra confirmed the groceries would be covered, the reaction was immediate.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you serious?\u201d the shopper asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery serious,\u201d Parra replied.<\/p>\n
In another aisle, Parra met a mom picking up breakfast basics.<\/p>\n
\u201cBreakfast foods,\u201d she said, as her kids chimed in with their favorites: pancakes, waffles and bacon.<\/p>\n
Parra told her the groceries were on the house.<\/p>\n
Would it help?<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it would help out,\u201d she said. \u201cBecause I\u2019m a stay-at-home mom, so anything helps.\u201d<\/p>\n
The surprise also reached beyond individual households. One shopper loading up on chicken wings said the order was for a church community meal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is from my church, House of Judah,\u201d the shopper said, explaining that meals are served after Sunday services. \u201cSo we need chicken wings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parra agreed\u2014who doesn\u2019t love chicken wings?<\/p>\n
For many, the gesture did more than cover a total at checkout. It offered a little breathing room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI bet when you came to the store today, you didn\u2019t think somebody was going to come in here and buy your groceries for you,\u201d Parra said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d one recipient replied. \u201cWe had a very short list, but we added a few things on this time. Thank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parra said the goal was simple: make the day a little easier.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know how tough it can be,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m just hoping that this made your day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt totally made my day,\u201d the shopper said.<\/p>\n
In another moment, Parra spoke with a parent who said rising costs have been even harder after losing food assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI recently lost my SNAP benefits in Arizona,\u201d the mom said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a lot to keep up with. I have four kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
And in the summer, she said, it\u2019s difficult to keep up with how fast groceries disappear.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know during the summer they don\u2019t stop eating,\u201d Parra said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t,\u201d she replied. \u201cFour boxes of cereal were gone in a day or two.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parra stepped in again, covering the groceries with support from Valley Toyota Dealers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, my God. Thank you,\u201d the shopper said. \u201cThat was unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
AZFamily will continue sharing more Surprise Squad stops, more community moments and more stories that show how far a little generosity can go.<\/p>\n
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n