LONG BEACH, Calif. — The US Postal Service is struggling to keep up with historic mail volume this year, which is made worse by a worker shortage brought on by the COVID-19 surge.

A single mother and mailing business owner who commutes between Rancho Cucamonga and Long Beach every day has been impacted as well.

It’s not all negative though. Tanisha Clark's business has seen a dramatic increase in sales. After a very difficult year they’re finally feeling hopeful.

Capital Postal and Mailbox Service has been hiring lately, in no small part thanks to customers like Loretta Baker mailing last-minute gifts.

“I’m glad I found them because I didn’t want to go to the big post office because, first of all, the parking lots are packed,” said Baker.

Clark said she remembers when the pandemic started, a close friend shut her business down for good. Clark stayed open, however, weathering the virus, an election, and protests that shattered her store’s windows.

It finally feels like she made the right decision.

"Everybody has to mail some sort of package, some sort of mail, so they need boxes, mailboxes," said Clark. "A lot of people are losing their homes and they don’t have addresses, so they need [PO] boxes, and so this is the time. I feel like this is a good time to really grow my business."

Loyal customers and grant money helped her through the lows, and now, from this high point, it looks like they’ll be opening another location in 2021.

“I do see a light at the end of the tunnel because I always try to stay positive,” said Clark.

It’s not all smooth sailing yet. Slowed and sporadic deliveries from the troubled USPS frustrate customers and workers. One thing is guaranteed to arrive on time: the new year.