RESOURCES
Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank BY LISA HAYNES Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Volunteer Manager
Volunteering outside of my children’s school was something I had rarely done before arriving in the US. However, on moving to Issaquah and not knowing anyone, I contacted the food bank to see how I could help. I hoped to make friends, be busy, and do something useful for others. I found all of these! A few weeks after my first shift I met a fellow food bank volunteer at the grocery store. I realized at that moment that there was a place for me in this community. I absolutely loved volunteering at the food bank. The camaraderie of a shared purpose to help others encouraged me to volunteer 2 or 3 times a week. I enjoyed it so much that when I got a job at the Issaquah Schools Foundation, I continued volunteering at the food bank, one shift a week, and was also able to work on some of the partnership programs. When the time came, I knew exactly where I wanted to work next. I’m the Volunteer Manager at the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank. I understand from personal experience the importance of volunteering from the volunteer’s perspective, and I align this with my understanding of the needs of the organization and our shoppers. It’s a big job - I plan the volunteer schedule, recruit and train volunteers, and help manage the
Vision Checks are done at school. Any student
needing further vision help or eyeglasses can contact their school nurse to access low and no cost optometrist appointments and glasses.
Each school building has access to the nurse’s fund to help support basic needs. You can reach out to your school nurse or counselor about this resource.
Many schools have PTSA/PTA Angel or Outreach programs with opportunities for support. Be sure to ask the office staff.
For information on other resources in our area, see the community resource directory at:
https://www.issaquahwa.gov/268/Human-Services.
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day-to-day operations. It’s important to me to get to know volunteers so that I can find everyone a spot that matches their interests and skills. I love going out into the community and talking to groups about the work of the food bank and encouraging them to volunteer too. As a part of a passionate and fun staff team, I also help plan donation drives and assist with special programs like the Summer Lunch Program and Tools 4 School. Because the shoppers’ experience is important to me, last year I started a recipe card project. Community members write recipes using a list of foods frequently available at the food bank. With the help of volunteers, we translate these recipes into Mandarin, Spanish, and Russian. If you are interested in helping me with this project or have questions about any other volunteer opportunities, please email me Lisa@issaquahfoodbank.org
Community Resources Presentation During the 2021 Holiday Season, local organizations are supporting Issaquah School District families with gifts, clothes, meals, and other resources. If you would like to learn about all the programs available to our community, join Cultural Bridges Zoom presentation on Friday, November 12th at 6:00 pm. Session in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. Interpreters in other languages available upon request. For details, send us an email to culturalbridges@ isfdn.org, text or call us at: 425 295 4024.
The Garage is a safe space for teens to come hang out with friends, grab a cup of coffee and a snack, play a game, play music, watch TV, talk over homework, and much more. All events, activities, food, and drinks at The Garage are free of charge. Teens develop and produce all events and activities that happen at the Garage under guidance and support from staff. From Open Mic Nights to Movie Marathons. For more information, please visit their website: https://www.issaquahteencafe.org/
