photo by: Ashley Golledge

Just Food's executive director, Elizabeth Keever, is pictured at the food pantry at 1000 E. 11th St. on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Updated at 12:01 p.m. Tuesday

Just Food Executive Director Elizabeth Keever plans to step away from her role in May, the Just Food board of directors announced Tuesday morning.

Keever will depart to take the chief development officer role at Heartland Community Health Center. She’ll remain Just Food’s executive director until May 15 to assist with the transition to the next executive director.

Keever has been with Just Food since 2013, starting as operations director. She was promoted to her current role in 2016.

Keever told the Journal-World in a phone interview that after nearly nine years, the time was right for a new role. While not an easy decision, she said she felt “complete” in the work she set out to accomplish.

“One of the things I’m really proud of is we’ve completed nearly every single goal in our most recent strategic plan, as well as some of the other things that we’ve done like renovate our building, create the Cruising Cupboard,” Keever said. “So it very much feels like my job’s complete, and I’m ready to take on another new personal opportunity to expand the work that I do.”

Keever was referring to two significant accomplishments for the food pantry during her tenure. The Cruising Cupboard, a mobile arm of the food pantry, hit the road in 2019, aiming to provide rural residents in need with another food option.

More recently, Keever spearheaded a half-million dollar renovation at the nonprofit that transformed its pantry area so it was more like a grocery store, complete with shopping carts, making for a more inviting experience for patrons. That renovation also expanded the pantry area by 65% of its original size and added a large demonstration kitchen to host nutrition and cooking classes.

In moving to Heartland Community Health Center, Keever said she thought she had found the perfect fit. The food pantry has partnered with Heartland, a safety net health care provider in Lawrence, in the past, so there’s some familiarity there, she said. It also helps, Keever said, that both organizations have worked nonstop during the coronavirus pandemic.

James Walden, president of Just Food’s board, said it would be an “understatement” to say Keever’s done a good job.

“She’s just accomplished so much over the past nine years for Just Food in the fight against food insecurity in Douglas County,” Walden told the Journal-World via phone. “We’re just really grateful for that.”

Walden said it’s too early to give any specifics about the board’s process for finding a replacement executive director. However, he said it was going to be a great help to still have Keever on board during the next two months as that process takes shape.

Keever echoed that, saying the board has been working swiftly on its next steps and on deciding what it’s looking for in ideal candidates for the position. She said they’re hoping to make it an inclusive, thoughtful process regarding Just Food’s direction.

Prior to Keever’s last day, she said she’s looking forward to Just Food’s return to the Kansas Food Truck Festival May 7, for the first time in two years. It’ll be the “icing on the cake,” she said.

“It’s really been an incredible journey for me,” Keever said. “… It is always hard to leave a place that you love, and I most certainly love and am proud of the organization and all that we’ve accomplished. It doesn’t look like the same organization that I inherited, and I’m just so proud of the progress that we’ve been able to make over the years. It really is very incredible to have the support of this community that has helped me every step of the way.”

And beyond May 15, Walden said he thought Keever would be leaving Just Food in good shape moving forward.

“Just Food is in a very strong position to build upon Liz’s success here and go through that transition,” Walden said. “We’ve got a very talented staff and partners, for which we’re grateful. We have the continued support of generous donors and volunteers. We’re looking forward to beginning the next chapter for Just Food.”