For the past 17 years, Lou has volunteered with Help At Your Door. The flexibility of the volunteer work led her to select our organization; she explains, “[As a Client Connector], I was able to set the day and time I would take orders. I can call them from home or wherever as long as I can access the internet.”
In this role, Lou has four specific clients assigned to her that she contacts by telephone. She calls two clients weekly and takes their grocery orders using an online ordering system. When requested items are out of stock, the Client Connector offers available options and ensures the accuracy of the order by reading it back to the client.
Generally, she volunteers about an hour in this role every week. Lou looks forward to connecting with the clients; she shares, “I enjoy chatting with the clients. Some are all business and want to get their order entered, and some chat more about their lives and families. [There was] Judy, [who] lost her husband shortly before I started taking her order. She would tell stories about her husband, and I would hear about what her children and grandchildren were up to.”
Along with being a Client Connector, Lou volunteers as a Shopper each week. In this role, she selects items at the grocery store based on clients’ orders, reviewing individual preferences, and making substitutions as needed. After picking the items, volunteer Shoppers partner with one another to double-check the accuracy of orders and assist in the check-out process.
She spends six hours per week volunteering as a Shopper and has liked the sense of belonging and energy this volunteer opportunity gives her. She notes, “I enjoy doing something that keeps me moving, and the early start time gets me up and moving. The other volunteers, drivers, and store coordinators are an amazing and fun group. Everyone is very conscientious about getting exactly what the client ordered. And, of course, the donuts!”
When asked what she would say to someone interested in volunteering with Help At Your Door, Lou replied, “The organization is very flexible, and the clients appreciate what we do for them.”
Thank you, Lou, for giving your time to Help At Your Door. We are grateful for your efforts!
