Judi Carlson, director of Malachi's Storehouse food pantry in Dunwoody, is one of 10 finalists for a $20,000 national prize recognizing neighbors who strengthen their communities.

Neighbors Bank selected Carlson for its inaugural Neighbor of the Year contest after Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch nominated her, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. During the pandemic, Carlson helped distribute more than 500,000 pounds of food to over 2,700 households through the Storehouse, according to the Neighbors Bank release.

Residents can vote once per day through Monday, Sept. 21, on the Neighbors Bank website. The winner will be announced Monday, Sept. 28, which Neighbors Bank calls National Good Neighbors Day.

Carlson kept the Storehouse open throughout the pandemic, ensuring families could access food, clothing and other essentials, according to her nomination. Deutsch's decision to nominate Carlson reflects the scope of her impact on the community, the release said.

"None of them set out to change the world. They just decided to take care of the people around them," Ashley Harris, director of homebuyer education at Neighbors Bank, said of the finalists.

Nominees came from 34 states. A four-judge panel that included Angela Santomero, creator of "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" and "Blue's Clues," narrowed the field to 10 finalists across seven states.

The pantry has served the Dunwoody area for more than 30 years, growing out of St. Patrick's church where Fr. Gray Temple's generosity inspired parishioner Anita Beaty to form the group that became the Storehouse, according to the organization's website. It became a partner agency of the Atlanta Community Food Bank in the mid-1990s and now receives about three pallets of food every Tuesday, unloaded and stored by a team of 10 volunteers.

Dunwoody residents who want to support Carlson's bid can cast one ballot per day through Monday, Sept. 21, at neighborsbank.com/neighbor-of-the-year.