Store to Door Providing chances for Metropolitan State University students to help aging adults live independently
By Vickie Lee-Her
Store to Door is a non-profit organization that delivers groceries and prescriptions with a purpose and a passion to people who are unable to shop for themselves due to age or disabilities. Store to Door’s vision to “support a community where people age with dignity” is becoming clear as 500 households a week receive Store to Door service. Some Metropolitan State students are helping to make this service possible and you can contribute, too.
With service to the Twin Cities metropolitan’s seven county area, Store to Door delivered to over 1,300 customers, fulfilling over 18,000 orders in 2008. The invaluable service is only available to clients with the help of over 575 volunteers who take grocery orders, shop for and deliver the groceries.
“Our grocery delivery service is a safety net, a warm smile, a friendly ear and a connection to the world that many homebound and elderly do not otherwise have. Our elderly deserve to age with dignity and comfort and Store to Door helps them do that,” says Molly Kennedy Lageson, volunteer coordinator at Store to Door. “If I was living far away from my parents or had grandparents that were choosing to remain in their homes as they age, I would hope with all of my heart that they had services to help them remain in their home—safe and healthy —like Store to Door.” 
According to the Store to Door Web site, Store to Door’s client base includes people who:
•live in their own homes, in apartments or condos and in assisted living facilities;
•are women living alone who are able to cook for themselves but, for many reasons, are unable to shop for and bring home their own groceries;
•long-time married couples, as well as many single men;
•have varied levels of income, making many of them eligible for subsidized delivery services and;
•are the parents of adult children concerned about their parents’ nutritional health.
The process is simple: clients enroll for service by contacting Store to Door where they can create their grocery order via phone with a volunteer or online. Orders are shopped by volunteers and delivered to the client along with receipts on a biweekly basis. Volunteers put cold food in the refrigerator and loosen tight caps, if requested.
Store to Door provides more than just grocery and prescription delivery to its clients, it provides social interaction as well as giving clients a feeling of independence.
“Store to Door provides much needed social interaction through a biweekly phone call and delivery. We provide a regular safety check, a link to other senior services and most importantly, our service allows our clients to remain living independently in their own home,” says Lageson.
All grocery orders are fulfilled by volunteers who shop exclusively at five selected Cub Foods stores. The partnership between Store to Door and Cub Foods has been solid for over five years, as Cub Foods is committed to the Store to Door mission. Cub Foods not only provides Store to Door with a wide range of grocery selection for its clients, but also provides financial support, volunteers, volunteer appreciation gifts, coffee and donuts for volunteer shoppers.
Lindsey Moe, a senior at Metropolitan State studying law enforcement, has been volunteering with Store to Door for about six months. She is one of several students who are helping the Store to Door cause by volunteering her time to fill grocery orders for clients. Moe’s volunteer work with the organization started when she needed to fulfill a citizenship class requirement. She enjoyed her experience with the organization and volunteers so much that she continued to volunteer even after her course was complete. She volunteers once a week for about four hours a day.
“I would definitely recommend for other students to volunteer with [Store to Door],” says Moe, who passionately describes her experience. “Store to Door is a very organized group that is straightforward about the expectations of their volunteers. Your tasks as a volunteer are routine so you quickly develop experience at what you do. Each day provides you with an opportunity to both work alone on your tasks while building a bond with other volunteers.”
The Store to Door organization is always looking for more volunteers. Volunteers can shop for 2-4 hours one time a week, between Tuesdays and Fridays from 6-10 a.m. Or volunteer to take customer orders in your free time over the phone then enter the order online. “Metropolitan State students will receive an invaluable connection with their community by volunteering through Store to Door,” says Lageson. “They will have the opportunity to work alongside others with the same commitment to a better community and will witness why it is important to help those that no longer can help themselves. Through volunteering they will learn to be more detail-oriented and gain communication skills while learning about the grocery business, senior nutrition and community involvement.”
This year, Store to Door will celebrate 25 years of service to the Twin Cities community. On May 1 the Abracadabra Gala will be held to celebrate the anniversary of Store to Door. There will be a silent and live auction, entertainment, a dinner and much more. For more information about this event, visit the Store to Door Web site at www.storetodoor.org or contact the volunteer coordinator, Molly Kennedy Lageson, at 651-642-1892 ext. 127; or e-mail molly@storetodoor.org.