By: Kellie Lewis, Marketing & Communications Manager
The first time I stepped into the Edmonds Food Bank, I was a few months postpartum with my second baby, seeking a way to engage in meaningful community work. I went to pick up supplies to start writing thank-you notes from home, and after brushing up on some Spanish with Lester, our Programs Manager, I found myself swept up on an impromptu trip to LETI (Latino Educational Training Institute) to drop off food. That day, Lester told me about the food bank’s partnership with LETI, where we do an off-site distribution every two weeks. If you know Lester, you can hear him saying, “You should come!”
With a baby at home who refused a bottle and a tightly scheduled nursing routine, I wasn’t sure how I could make it work. But I was determined to try, so each week, I worked to time everything just right to co-pilot with Lester, practice my Spanish, and help distribute food. One week turned into a year, and then two, as I became a regular volunteer with LETI, the staff and customers always asked about my baby’s milestones. My bimonthly trips became a cherished time to connect with other mothers going through similar seasons.
Fast forward three years, and I’m now a staff member at the food bank. I will never forget the moment last year when we had to tell a mother holding her six-month-old baby that we didn’t have any formula that week but hoped to have more soon. This mom was someone I had regularly assisted, often holding her baby or her bags while she shopped. The moment felt personal. I had a flash of memories from the early days of motherhood, knowing all too well the layers of challenges that come with feeding a baby. Formula access should never be one of those.
After this experience at LETI, we launched a formula campaign, and within three days, over 75 people contributed to this “all call.” We raised more than $2,700 on Venmo alone. We excitedly received shipments of formula in the mail and our donation cart at the food bank slowly filled up with formula.
Hours after posting the need on social media, a mother showed up with a baby on her hip and a can of formula in her hand. Seeing her brought me to tears because it represented the power of community. For a parent to say, “today I have the capacity and resources to help another parent who doesn’t”, is not only extremely powerful, but it is an example of how we can move through life taking care of each other.
The week following last year’s formula campaign, I saw the same mom wearing her baby in a sling who had been waiting for formula. Eagerly, I grabbed a can for her, and as she placed it in her bag, we both teared up. She hugged me, whispering, “Gracias.” This moment of shared gratitude is why I continue to be so passionate about this work.
One year later we are ready to launch another formula drive for the parents and caregivers in our community who are working hard to feed their babies. Since last year at this time, customer numbers at the food bank have increased, food is more expensive and federal support for those experiencing food insecurity has been cut. Parents in our community need support now more than ever.
I feel so deeply that our experiences soften us towards the experiences of others (in my case the experience of motherhood) and can help us come together, creating a stronger community through collective action.
Join us Aug 6th-Aug 13th by contributing to this year’s baby formula campaign. You can donate any amount to our Venmo (@edmondsfoodbank), purchase formula from our Amazon Wishlist or bring a donation by the food bank (we are open Mondays 9am-6pm, Tuesdays-Fridays 9am-3pm) or to our booth at the Edmonds Summer Market on Saturday.
Edmonds Food Bank is located at 828 Caspers Street L100, Edmonds 98020.
