Judy learned of Help At Your Door two years ago when she was reading the Star Tribune and came across an advertisement for a local nonprofit that needed volunteers.
Being recently retired, Judy was looking for opportunities to help people in her community. She shares, “I’ve done volunteer work for most of my adult life. I thought Help At Your Door’s options sounded interesting and enjoyable.”
Judy contacted our office and inquired about our grocery shopper and personal driver volunteer roles. After a short conversation with our volunteer manager, she was ready to take the next step. She explains, “I started volunteering with Help At Your Door right after everything shut down due to the pandemic. I’m not a person to stay home all the time so helping others was exactly what I needed.”
During her first year with the organization, Judy worked with a team to grocery shop at Cub Foods for older adults and people with disabilities who placed their orders over the phone and online. Shopping shifts occurred on a biweekly basis and generally lasted three hours on weekday mornings; the work included finding items, reviewing the contents of carts to ensure accuracy, assisting with checkout, and packing items into bags.
At the same time, Judy also decided to volunteer as a personal driver, safely transporting clients to and from appointments, errands, and social outings. She liked connecting with the clients while driving to their requested destinations.
She notes, “I love providing transportation to riders who are so appreciative. I’ve made some great friends. We laugh and enjoy being together. They are so thankful that they can remain in their homes, and still get to their appointments if their family and friends aren’t available to help them.”
Today, Judy serves as a backup for grocery shopping – and continues to volunteer as a personal driver for Help At Your Door clients. On average, she volunteers five hours per week and provides rides for 10 people per month.
When asked what she would say to someone interested in volunteering with Help At Your Door, Judy replied, “Help At Your Door has many different volunteer opportunities to choose from based on your availability and interests. Their office is always very helpful with any client questions or concerns. I would definitely recommend volunteering with Help At Your Door. It’s been a great experience for me!”
Help At Your Door appreciates all your efforts, Judy! Thank you for giving your time to the people we serve.
Interested in volunteering with Help At Your Door? For information about specific roles, read our volunteer webpage or contact us: 651-642-1892 | volunteer@helpatyourdoor.org. We also offer group volunteer activities!
