Meet the Early Birds Behind Open Cupboard’s Home Delivery Program
Most people probably aren’t eager to be somewhere by 8:30 in the morning. The delivery volunteers at Open Cupboard would disagree. “We’re all early birds,” volunteer Jay said. “If you’re on time, you’re late.”
By the time many people are pouring their first cup of coffee, the delivery crew is already gathered in Maplewood. There’s a quick team huddle. Lina, the program coordinator, shares how many families they’ll be serving that day. Sometimes she has already texted the group before sunrise with updates.
Then everyone gets to work. They assemble boxes, pack produce, sort dry goods, and organize deliveries to go out.
Some volunteers have naturally fallen into their own specialties over time. Jay, who has a background in supply chain and inventory management, gravitates toward logistics. Others help organize food, prep orders, or get everything ready for the DoorDash drivers who will soon arrive.
By the end of the morning, dozens of families will receive food delivered right to their doorstep.
For volunteer Rich, that’s what makes the program special. “It serves a group of people who can’t physically make it to Open Cupboard,” he said. “Older adults, people with disabilities, people who are homebound.”
Rich knows a lot about the program. He’s been volunteering in food access work since retiring in 2011 and has spent the last several years helping with deliveries.
Every week looks a little different. One day, there might be plenty of produce. Another day, there might not be enough of a certain item for every household. “We have to be flexible,” Rich said. “You just don’t know on any given day what’s going to be available.”
But somehow, it always comes together. “It all works out.” That phrase came up again and again while talking to the delivery team. The volunteers know the work matters. They see demand growing. They’ve watched the delivery program expand over the last year as more families have needed support.
At one point, the team was serving around 30 families per shift. Then it became 60. Then 80. Then sometimes more than 100. “There was definitely uncertainty,” Jay said. “But what kept me coming back was seeing this organization respond in real time.”
“It was amazing watching the community come together,” Jay said.
Volunteer Mark has witnessed that growth too. After retiring from a career as an electrical engineer, he was looking for meaningful ways to spend his time. He started volunteering with Open Cupboard’s delivery program and quickly realized the scale of the need.
“Coming into volunteering, I didn’t really understand the problem,” Mark said. “The volume is just wild.” What surprised him most was how much impact a relatively small commitment could have. “It’s a small commitment for something with a big return,” Mark said.
That sentiment resonates across the team. Dana, who retired after working in a school district, had already seen food insecurity affecting families firsthand. “I saw food insecurities increase when I worked for the school district,” Dana said. Now she volunteers every Tuesday and many Wednesdays. “It is meaningful to play even a small part in helping people access the food they need.”
Ask any of the volunteers why they keep coming back, and you’ll hear plenty about the mission. But you’ll also hear about the people. They love the friendships they’ve formed, the routine, and the feeling of being apart of something bigger than yourself. And, of course, Lina.
“Lina is an energy tornado,” Jay said with a laugh. “She’s full of passion. She brings spirit to the organization.”
The volunteers tease each other, support one another, and work together like a team that’s been doing this forever. Because in many ways, they have.
What starts as a few hours of volunteering each week often turns into something more. They have a community, a purpose, and a reason to get up early on a Tuesday morning. And for dozens of families receiving deliveries that week, it’s one more reminder that someone cares enough to show up.