by Laura Grevas You would never know it now, but Sylvia Cook did take a little bit of convincing to join The Open Door’s volunteer team. Then-board member Pete Mallinger approached her at their shared faith community, St. Thomas Beckett Catholic Church in Eagan. “My initial response was ‘No, I’m too busy’” she laughs. But […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Wally Sunderland
In his roughly a decade volunteering at The Open Door, Wally Sunderland has consistently refined his strategy for working with clients (to say nothing of his quest for the perfect lasagna—more on that later). “The approach that I try to use with some of the new clients [is] to be as respectful as I can […]
The End of Our Mobile Bus Era (but certainly NOT our Mobile Pantry!)
The Open Door’s (TOD) Mobile Pantry bus has been a staple of the Mobile Pantry Program since it kicked off in 2012/2013. While the Mobile Pantry Program is alive and well – visiting 23+ locations every month – the bus made its last stop at the end of 2023, wrapping up a decade-long career of […]
Board Spotlight: New President Stephanie Andrews
By Laura Grevas Like many Minnesotans, Stephanie Andrews felt compelled to act during the turbulent summer of 2020. At that point, she had been dropping off donations periodically for a few years and was always impressed by the Eagan pantry’s volunteers. “It felt like a super easy way for me to do something and […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Ron and Michelle Jackelen
By: Laura Grevas Ron and Michelle Jackelen probably wouldn’t describe themselves as foodies. But when the couple met in 1972, you could say that food was involved. Ron was working at McDonald’s when he met Michelle, whose family had just moved from Alabama the week before. “I was the manager in charge for exactly one […]
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