Lisa Harvey has been volunteering with The Open Door since its humble beginnings as a solitary food shelf in the basement at 3910 Rahn Road. She has filled volunteer positions at the Eagan Pantry, helped at the large-scale Metcalf distribution, delivered meals for Mobile Lunchbox and more. It was her long-term involvement (and his recent retirement) that pulled in her husband, Craig, to join the volunteer corps of The Open Door.
Craig Harvey started volunteering with The Open Door last year, but he has hit the ground running. Craig was instrumental in helping Alpa, The Open Door’s Garden to Table Manager, fix and prepare raised garden beds this spring as well as performing other light repairs to sheds and fences. He also drives for food rescue shifts to the new Trader Joe’s in Eagan.
“We’re both drawn to service, and helping provide resources to those who need them,” Craig said over coffee at Dunn Brothers, with Lisa nodding her head in agreement.
But of all the organizations they could volunteer for, why The Open Door? “It’s just fun,” Lisa said. “It’s a well-run, organized system. You start to feel a bit like a family.”
Summer 2021 was their first time volunteering with Mobile Lunchbox, and they loved it. “You get to talk with the families and kids. It’s really sweet,” Lisa said. They both plan to volunteer with Mobile Lunchbox again this summer.
Lisa and Craig have lived in Rosemount since 1991, where they raised their two daughters. Lisa holds a Master’s in Public Health and worked as a dietician for years, another thing that drew her to volunteer work involving food. Craig was a Director of Pharmacy before his retirement in 2020. They both stepped back from any volunteer work during the height of Covid-19, but are excited to be back and fully dive-in.
When they are not volunteering with The Open Door, Lisa and Craig volunteer with Feed My Starving Children. They enjoy chasing around their four grandchildren, as they all live close by, and traveling when they can. They are excited to figure out the balance of retirement and this new phase of their life.
When asked what advice they would give to a new volunteer, Craig said, “Show up. Try some things out and see what you like. There are so many different things that you can do at The Open Door!”
To join Lisa and Craig this summer as a Mobile Lunchbox volunteer and help feed hungry kids in Dakota County, sign up at theopendoorpantry.org/mobile-lunch-box/.
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