GAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Amazon has hired more than 1,000 new employees in the Grand Rapids area amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amazon said many of the new hires are working at the 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center at the southwest corner of 68th Street and Patterson Avenue in Gaines Township.

The new employees are picking, packing and shipping customer orders and delivering packages as demand is surging during the outbreak. Many were impacted by layoff related to COVID-19, according to Amazon.

The company is continuing to fill positions, which start with minimum pay of $17 per hour through the end of April and come with benefits on day one for full-time and some part-time jobs. Those who are interested in applying can learn more online.

Nationally, Amazon announced it hired more than 80,000 employees to meet the increase in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.