Remembering Helen Bernstein

Helen A. Bernstein
April 3, 1945 – Feb. 17, 2022

Beloved pillar of the Store to Door community Helen Bernstein passed away on February 17^th 2022. Serving as our program’s Executive Director for 16 years—from 1996 until January 2013—Helen’s warmth and commitment to the personal side of the work that we do played a formative role in making our program into what it is today.

During Helen’s tenure, Store to Door made more than 111,000 deliveries to homebound clients across the Portland area. Continuing to serve as a Board Member and Volunteer following her retirement, Helen’s legacy is one of lasting impact in the lives of so many clients, volunteers, and staff—and a deep focus on supporting independent living for all members of our community. Helen’s dedication and commitment to helping those in need have had a permanent effect on our program and community culture.

Capturing the spirit of Helen’s compassion, back in 2013, she was quoted as saying, “What warms my heart the most is watching people of all ages, races, religions, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds work harmoniously and respectfully together so that a stranger across town has food for the week. It is difficult to think ill of humanity when you do this sort of work.”

Ours is the work of carrying forward her legacy.

You can read a full obituary for Helen online at OregonLive.

Store to Door Extends Best Wishes to Longtime Board Member Marcia Blasen

It is with bittersweet feelings that Store to Door bids farewell to longtime Board Member Marcia Blasen as she completed her board service with us in December 2021.

Since joining the Board in April 2016, Marcia’s dynamic personality, willingness to ask tough questions, and deep commitment to our program work have been instrumental in sustaining and increasing our organization’s ability to serve homebound members of our community. We are deeply grateful for all of Marcia’s indelible contributions to our program over the past 6 years, and wish her luck in this next chapter!

In the past 6 years, Marcia has volunteered more than 335 hours in support of our homebound clients, as a Volunteer Delivery Driver, Friendly Caller, and Shopper, bringing her energy and generosity to bear sustaining homebound seniors and adults living with disabilities. In 2020, Marcia was the recipient of The Peter R. Marsh Foundation’s ‘Silent Servant Award,’ which recognizes private citizens who selflessly and quietly serve others, and who are indeed the most valuable citizens of their communities.

During her service on our Board, Marcia served as both Board Secretary and Treasurer, as well as Finance Committee Chair. Hugely impactful in program fundraising efforts, Marcia has also played a key role in organizing Store to Door’s annual Nourish to Flourish gala event, bringing her dynamic energy and generosity to bear. In addition to her years of service with our organization, Marcia spent 22 years with U.S. Bank, holding multiple roles in New Product Development as well as Global Treasury Management, and continues to work regularly with a number of other local nonprofit organizations.

2020 – Marcia is awarded Peter R. Marsh Foundation Silent Servant Award!

“While serving on the board, Marcia has displayed dedication, grace and seriousness. As a tireless advocate for the mission of Store to Door, Marcia has done a great deal to raise awareness about our organization,” says fellow Store to Door Board Member John Van Dinter. “Although she is leaving the board, she has made it clear that she will continue to volunteer and support our organization. We look forward to her ongoing passion and enthusiasm!”

Our program has been markedly improved by Marcia’s hard work on behalf of our clients, volunteers, and staff, and we are grateful for her years of service. We wish Marcia the best, and we know that she will continue to be a part of the Store to Door community!

Store to Door is Excited to Welcome Andrew Robbins as New Grant Writer!

Originally from Colorado, Andrew has lived in Oregon for a total of eight years, in addition to time living abroad (primarily in Melbourne, Australia). First connecting with Store to Door through Hands On Portland, Andrew joins the Store to Door team with a PhD in Media and Communication from the University of Oregon, where he also co-taught and wrote courses and curriculum centered around food politics. Andrew has also worked in arts management roles with several film festivals over the past three years, assisting with grant writing, programming, and communications.

Initially drawn to Store to Door’s program work, Andrew grew up on government food assistance and began volunteering with senior home visitations and soup kitchen meal preparation as a teenager. “These experiences had a big impact on me and helped shape what I consider a lifelong investment in food justice,” says Andrew. “I feel aligned with and excited about contributing to Store to Door’s mission to foster nourishment, connection, and dignity to homebound community members.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Andrew has become a house plant enthusiast and improved his cooking skills (“The NYT Cooking App has been a game changer!”). Additionally, he enjoys hiking, and attending live art performances and film festivals.

We are extremely excited to welcome Andrew to the Store to Door team—his broad and extremely relevant professional background, in addition to his personal connection to our mission, are a wonderful fit with the vital work that Store to Door does supporting homebound members of our community. We hope you will help us welcome Andrew to the Store to Door community!

Welcome Susan Flagg to Store to Door’s Board of Directors!

We are excited to announce Susan Flagg as the newest member of the Store to Door Board of Directors! A Certified Treasury Professional, Susan has a background as a banking professional with more than 40 years specializing in treasury management, and is currently serving as a Treasury Relationship Manager with WaFd Bank.

Volunteering regularly as a bank employee for a number of local nonprofits, Susan connected with Store to Door after coordinating teams of bankers to volunteer as shoppers during the COVID-19 pandemic! Inspired by our program’s mission, Susan is looking forward to deepening her commitment with Store to Door through board leadership.

“Store to Door’s mission struck a chord in my heart that nudged me to meet with the Executive Director and learn about the positive impact food delivery service is making in the lives of so many Oregonians. It’s a mission to feed the soul as well as the body with regular, supportive contact for so many individuals who may not have social contact otherwise.”

A native Oregonian born in Klamath Falls, Susan and her wife now live in Happy Valley with their two cats, and enjoy traveling, cross-country skiing, entertaining, and staying active. While they now live on their own, Susan’s two sons regularly visit for a hot meal and conversation. In additional to her regular volunteer work throughout the community, Susan is a member of New Thought Center for Spiritual Living in Lake Oswego.

In addition to her regular Board role, Susan looks forward to making an impact with our program’s Equity Team. “It is my desire to contribute insight and learn how we can expand Store to Door’s service to the many diverse communities we are privileged to have amongst us,” Susan says.

We are excited to add Susan’s strong professional background and commitment to the vital need served by our program to our Board of Directors, and to bring her skillset to bear on our work sustaining independence for homebound seniors and adults living with disabilities across Portland. We hope you will help us welcome Susan to the Store to Door family!

Store to Door Extends Gratitude and Best Wishes to Board Member Eumi Wymbs!

Store to Door extends its deepest appreciation to Eumi Wymbs, who will be stepping down from her long-time board role with our program. While we are sad to bid Eumi bon voyage, we are so grateful for the impact that she has had on our program, on our clients, and as a standout member of the Store to Door community both internally and as a representative of our program work.

Eumi’s warmth, passion, and dynamic commitment to furthering our program have been an indispensable part of our program growth and success over the past 7 years. After connecting with our program as a Delivery Driver via the Standard Volunteer Expo in 2014, Eumi became a member of the Store to Door Board of Directors in 2016.

In addition to her role on the Board of Directors, Eumi served as the multi-year chair of our Events Committee, hosting our annual Nourish to Flourish gala event and guiding our program to raising more than $400,000 in support of our mission and creating opportunities for us as a community to come together to celebrate our clients and volunteers! Eumi also served as a key member of our Equity Team, and played a vital role in the release of our program’s Equity Plan and Equity Statement, as well as participating in all-staff equity trainings.

With a deep personal connection to Store to Door’s program work, Eumi has maintained her regular weekly deliveries in addition to her other contributions to our organizations, and is a member of our LoVE League having given more than 750 hours of volunteer time since 2014.

We wish Eumi the best in her next adventures, and we know that she will remain a part of the Store to Door community!

Store to Door Welcomes Jay Rafter and Tony Rapp to Board of Directors

We are excited to welcome two new members to our Board of Directors! Jay Rafter and Tony Rapp bring a wealth of experience and relevant skill sets to our work, and will be valuable assets to Store to Door’s leadership. Read on to learn more about each new addition…

Tony Rapp currently serves as Director of Technology with Cambia Health Solutions and is responsible for claim and membership services across the Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Plan. Tony first got involved with Store to Door as a volunteer in 2019, helping to choose a new technology platform for our volunteer program management, and connected immediately with the program’s mission and values. Recognizing the great and growing need felt by seniors and adults living with disabilities, and the impact that Store to Door’s work has in the community, Tony looks forward to playing an active role on the Board of Directors.

Originally from Skagit Valley Washington, Tony has now lived in Seattle for more than 20 years. He considers Portland his second home due to frequent travel for work, and holds great admiration for the community and culture of Portland and its surrounding areas. Tony is a graduate of the University of Washington Foster School of Business, a loving husband, and a proud father of two girls.

Jay Rafter joins Store to Door’s Board of Directors with more than 30 years of experience as an intellectual property lawyer, and is a retired partner from Stoel Rives LLP’s Portland office. Currently an angel investor with TiE Oregon Angels, Jay serves as an advisor to startups and young companies on both intellectual property and business matters, and informally mentors law students as well.

Jay has consulted with Store to Door on several legal matters in the last eight years and has served on the program’s Finance Committee since 2019. Connecting personally with Store to Door’s mission since first assisting in a pro-bono legal capacity, Jay looks forward to being a part of supporting the program’s continued projected growth, and to the possibility of considering additional services. He brings insight and respect for the program’s management team, employees, and volunteers, as well as confidence in the strength of the program to continue and expand service moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Becky Blumer Steps off Store to Door Board of Directors

While we are excited to add two new members to our Board, it is with sadness and gratitude that we bid farewell to longtime Board Vice President Becky Blumer as she steps off the Store to Door Board, after more than 7 years of service in multiple roles.

Since first connecting with our program in 2012 when Store to Door was located in the same building as United Way (where Becky previously worked), Becky has been a fixture within the Store to Door community, and a guiding force of our organizational growth, leadership, and strategy. She has been a member of both our Nourishing Circle, President’s Circle, as well as our LoVE League.

Officially joining our board in 2013, Becky had a deep connection to our work supporting homebound seniors and adults living with disabilities, and continued volunteering weekly as a Delivery Driver while serving as Board VP. In 2018, Becky and her client Betty Walker, who she had been delivering to since she first started volunteering, were featured at Store to Door’s Nourish to Flourish Benefit Gala. In 2019, Becky was awarded the Portland Monthly’s ‘Light A Fire’ award, in recognition of her extraordinary service as a Board Member.

Becky leaves the Store to Door Board in very strong position for continued growth, and we are so glad to have had her support and guidance over the years. We know that Becky will continue to be a member of the Store to Door family. Thank you Becky!

Welcome Mallory Rogers-Boone

Click here for the story about Tiffany and Vickie! Sorry for our broken link!

Store to Door is excited to welcome Mallory Rogers-Boone as our new Development Coordinator!

Mallory has a strong background in administrative, development, and event work in the nonprofit sector. As Development Coordinator, Mallory plays a key role in our Development team, with a focus on enhancing fundraising activities, optimizing our data management, and eventually helping to put on Store to Door events. Mallory earned bachelor’s degrees in English and sociology from The University of Oregon, and has worked in support of a variety of causes, working for environmental, family, and political organizations. Mallory brings a valuable perspective to Store to Door’s work, and an ability to solve problems and plan creatively.

Since beginning with Store to Door in July, Mallory has connected with the importance of Store to Door’s work and the connection program staff and volunteers form with clients. She also has a personal connection to the work: “A few years ago, my grandfather (aka Papa Rod) was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. He was an extremely outgoing, fun-loving person who enjoyed dining out, traveling and meeting new people, so it was really hard to see him slowly become homebound as his cancer progressed,” says Mallory. “He eventually passed away at home, surrounded by family, which was really important to him – he wanted to be home. That experience gave me insight into how important it is to allow people to remain at home, and to provide resources so they’re able to do so comfortably.”

Born and raised in Portland, Mallory lived in Kenton with her Husband Andy, cat Cooper, and dog Rudy. She enjoys spending time with her pets in the backyard, exploring the Pacific Northwest outdoors, and traveling (when possible). During this challenging year, Mallory has been staying positive by focusing on things that she is grateful for, and allowing herself to work through difficult things at her own pace. “Helping others and supporting causes I care about helps too,” says Mallory. “Since quarantine began I’ve learned many important ways to prioritize and be creative, to speak up when needed, and to paint my own nails… but I haven’t stooped to baking my own sourdough bread, haha.”

We hope you will help us welcome Mallory to the Store to Door community, and are glad to have her help in this important work!

Faces in New Places!

Both Vickie Megowan and Tiffany Schmidt have been members of the Store to Door community for quite a while–both began as regular volunteers before transitioning to staff roles. Recently, both Tiffany and Vickie have expanded their roles with Store to Door, serving as Program Coordinators at Beaverton and Hollywood Fred Meyer locations, respectively. While many involved with our work may know one or both, we are excited to introduce them to our community as a whole! We hope you will help us express our gratitude for their consistent commitment to our work and the homebound clients we serve!

Vickie Megowan
Program Coordinator, Beaverton

Tell me something about your personal background, briefly!
I grew up in San Francisco and moved to Portland 4 years ago. I enjoy gardening, hiking and wine. My 3 adult sons still keep me busy as well as my fur babies, 2cats and 1 dog.

What is your professional background? How does that inform your work with us?
My professional background started as a licensed veterinarian assistant after attending college. I have worked in administrative office positions until taking time off to raise my sons. Prior to moving to Portland, I worked for my local school district for 10 years with the early intervention program and kindergarten classes. I worked with children with a variety of special needs.

How did you connect with Store to Door?
While visiting a yarn shop in Multnomah Village I met a woman named Eleanor and she shared her experience volunteering with Store to Door.

What is your favorite thing about working with Store to Door?
My favorite thing about working with Store to Door is the people. My co-workers are easy to get along with, extremely patient and are all fantastic to work with. Dedicated volunteers make this program work and I’m always amazed by them.

Do you have a personal connection with our work?
My personal connection to our work would be my interest and fondness in the elderly population. I have always been the person on the block who checked in with the elderly neighbors to see if they needed anything. Also, having worked with children with disabilities carries over to adults with special needs that we also service.

How have you been staying positive during this difficult year?
Working, long telephone chats with friends and my sons have all helped to keep me positive during this challenging year. Spending a lot of time in my garden/forest has been very therapeutic. Thanks to my new job, I have been learning a ton of new computer skills.

Tiffany Schmidt
Program Coordinator, Hollywood

Tell me something about your personal background, briefly!
Before COVID I spent most of my free time as a competitive West Coast Swing Dancer, something I picked up in college and a hobby I’ve enjoyed for the last 12 years. Since COVID has ended all dance gatherings, I’ve found myself enjoying a lot of cooking, true crime podcasts, and gardening.

What is your professional background? How does that inform your work with us?
Pre COVID I worked as an Executive Assistant and Operations Manager. My skillsets lay heavily within organization and reassessing processes.

How did you connect with Store to Door?
I used to work at Elemental Technologies / AWS Elemental and actively volunteered with them at Stoor to Door.

What is your favorite thing about working with Store to Door? Do you have a particular story that illustrates that?
Getting to regularly see how we are positively impacting our clients!

How have you been staying positive during this difficult year? Have you learned anything new lately that you’d like to share? What are you interested in?
When COVID hit, my way of staying positive and keeping myself busy was by volunteering with Store to Door. It’s helped me cope by knowing that I am physically doing something to help others during all of this.

Welcome Cassie Sorensen, Store to Door’s new Program Director!

Welcome Cassie Sorensen, Store to Door’s new Program Director!

Cassie brings 20 years of social services and social work experience to Store to Door, focusing on program coordination, development, and management. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in Women and Gender Studies, Cassie earned her Masters of Social Work from Portland State University. Most recently, Cassie was Director of Homestead and Women’s Housing and Transition (WHAT) programs with Share Vancouver.

Largely focused in the Pacific Northwest and the East Bay region of California, Cassie has worked with programs supporting the full spectrum of ages—from infants to elders. However, Cassie joins Store to Door with a particular connection to work supporting older members of our community: “I saw that there can be many barriers to aging in place, as so many of our elders want to do,” Cassie says. “These barriers can include accessing food, losing income, disconnection from natural support networks, and insufficient community supports.”

Born and raised in Oregon, Cassie has a personal connection to Store to Door’s work as well: “Personally, I have had the pleasure and responsibility of caring for my aging father and my sister, who has Downs Syndrome, and I know first hand how important it is for our elders and community members with disabilities to have supports outside of their immediate caregivers and family to help them be as independent as possible and thrive in place.”

Drawn to Store to Door’s program model and the essential service the program offers, Cassie is excited about working with an organization in an exciting phase of growth and program development: “I am looking forward to supporting the agency in growing and developing programming to meet the needs of community elders as they age in place.”

We are fortunate to have Cassie’s experience, skillset, and commitment to our work as a part of the Store to Door team, and we hope you will help welcome her to our community!