Bailey Toth is a Lutheran Volunteer Corps member completing her year of service as the Food Bank Specialist in the JFS Food Bank.
The three core tenets of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps could not have resonated more perfectly with my own values, so I knew I had to apply to the program. Applicants choose their top ten placement sites, interview with three and then rank them. After my interview, I knew JFS was my number one choice. I wanted to work in a position related to food justice, and I found the cooking classes at JFS to be particularly unique.
Community
The community aspect of LVC has been amazing. I live with four other Lutheran volunteers who are all working with different social service agencies around the city. Almost every weeknight, we talk and laugh over a delicious home-cooked meal. My personal favorite community time is our weekly Sunday brunch, which often extends until dinner time or later. We have a monthly spirituality night to share our journeys, express spirituality through art and explore the connection between spirituality and food. (In case you couldn’t tell, our house loves food!)
This focus on community has opened my eyes to the different communities I see in the Food Bank. For one thing, the Food Bank is a type of community in and of itself. A lot of our volunteers have been with us for a long time, know many of our clients by name, know their specific needs and have great relationships with them. Our mobile Eastside Food Bank, in particular, seems to serve not only as an opportunity for older, resettled Russian Jews to get food but also as a place to socialize with friends.
Living Simply & Sustainably
Living simply and sustainably has been an area I feel I’ve really grown in. Each volunteer gets a small monthly stipend for basic necessities, and living excessively is not really an option. I have been amazed at how far our money goes when we all buy food together and cook together. I have become a lot more resourceful and have learned how to live well without spending much.
The Food Bank plays an important role in our clients’ sustainability. Whether they are on fixed incomes, working and poor, unemployed or homeless, a reliable source of fresh, nutritious food is vital to them.
Social Justice
My passion for social justice drives much of what I do. I majored in social work in college and have had myriad experiences working and volunteering in different social justice-related settings. At JFS, I have seen firsthand how vital emergency food services are, and that without our Food Bank and the 27 other food banks in Seattle, many in our community would go hungry. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness, which advocates at the policy level for the homeless in our community. Having this opportunity to work directly with people experiencing hunger through JFS while also advocating for systemic change with SKCCH has been a highly valuable experience that I will take with me into my future career.
By Bailey Toth
Bailey graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. She is passionate about social justice, vegan cooking, reading, being active in the community and cats.
