I am in my 4th year of volunteering with Store to Door. I saw my parents spend their last years in very good nursing home care because of health issues, but wanted to help seniors who are able, to stay in their home as long as possible. I came to Store to Door thinking I would be an order taker because I'm not the grocery shopper in my family, but quickly found that my computer background made me a better fit for various office tasks. The Store to Door staff has been wonderful, letting me work on a variety of databases and help in accounting. I've even learned some new skills, like glue guns and QuickBooks software. One of my favorite accounting jobs is processing client payments. Sometimes there are notes of appreciation written on their checks, and it gives me such a good feeling when they buy a lot of groceries because it means we are meeting their needs.
I have been a volunteer at Store to Door for approximately 10 years. I have been able to see first hand how this unique service enables senior citizens to be able to continue to live in their homes knowing that the grocery products that they want and need will be delivered in a timely fashion and at a reasonable cost. Personal experience has taught me that this kind of service is not available in most other locations . As a result, older adults are often forced to move to care facilities which are not only expensive but often not aligned with what their preference would be.
I have been a Volunteer Order Taker with Store To Door for over 5 years, and I can't think of anything I do that is more gratifying. Every week my clients tell me how much they rely on Store To Door, and how they don't know what they would do without this service. For me, spending 2-3 hours on the phone every Wednesday is such a simple way to make a big difference in the lives of others.
I have been mostly an order taker and also a shopper for Store-to-Door for the past 6 years. As I always tell people as an order taker its one of the few volunteer jobs I can do in pajamas! Seriously I was drawn to Store-to-Door after caring for my mother during her chronic illness. I was able to shop for her, but was comforted to know there was an organization like Store-to-Door that existed if she had not been able. Store-to-Door not only helps the elderly maintain their indpendence it also gives caregivers a much needed break from one of their caregiver activities. I can't recommend this organization enough for both its mission to its customer and as a volunteer I am proud to be a part of providing this service.
I have been a volunteer order taker now for Store to Door (S2D) for over 2 years now. I originally saw a piece on TV about them. I checked them out, one of the most important things for me was how much of budget was spent on the actual services and clients. Well it was on the order of $0.85 on the dollar. I started with 4 clients and worked my way up at one point to 12, I currently call 8 seniors. I think it takes so little time to do this, and to know you can make a real difference in their quality of life well that just adds to the joy of doing it!
I have been a volunteer shopper with Store to Door for three months and find the experience very worthwhile. I learned about Store to Door from another volunteer and was impressed with its mission. My father died earlier this year and was able to stay in his own home until that time. I came to realize how important this was to him and his self-esteem. If my volunteering with Store to Door can enable others to continue living in their homes, then I'm more than happy to do it. Besides the satisfaction is provides in giving something back to the community, I find I learn a lot about what products are available in the stores we shop. It can be very challenging to find some of the items requested and the sense of accomplishment is also a reward. This volunteer experience has made me a better shopper for my own personal needs. What a plus! I'm a strong believer in what Store to Door does and am a donor as well.
