AARP Program Provides Savings for Seniors, Help for Food Bank

Authored by Kara Witsoe,

Volunteer Writer

Kwon Kim is refilling a large metal container with fresh produce in the community market when Grayling Tunney stops to chat with his coworker and friend. They share a laugh before moving on to separate tasks at the food bank. The men are 2 of 46 participants who’ve worked at the Ballard Food Bank through the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program since 2012.

The program, which is funded primarily through grants from the US Department of Labor, provides skills development and work experience for low-income adults 55 years and older. Participants earn wages in a variety of roles at nonprofits, daycares, senior centers, schools, hospitals, and other public facilities. They may work up to 20 hours a week and can stay in the program, at one or more organizations, up to four years. Many people even find permanent employment at partner organizations or outside companies, like Grayling, who is now a Ballard Food Bank employee.

Grayling came to the Ballard Food Bank through the AARP program in 2018 and was hired as a full-time warehouse associate in 2021. He assists every step of the way from moving fresh produce, meat, dairy and non-perishable items from the 3,600 square-foot warehouse into the hands of the food bank’s diverse clientele. He stocks the warehouse, loads and unloads trucks, picks up donations from grocery stores, and replenishes food supplies in the market.

Kwon and Grayling connected through an AARP work program for seniors.

Grayling’s favorite part of the job is connecting with clients, volunteers and staff. He makes an effort to learn greetings in some of the many different languages that clients speak to make them feel welcome. As a former food bank client himself, Grayling understands the complex experiences and needs of its customers. “I see myself in their position. I want them to know that they’re not the only ones who need this service,” he says. “It’s very satisfying to be a part of the Ballard Food Bank. I feel like I was meant to be here.”

It's a sentiment shared by his colleague Kwon Kim. “I like helping people and learning about their circumstances and lives,” he says. Kwon started working at the food bank last year and plans to work for two more years. He was a chef for SAS and Asiana Airlines and more recently at the Seattle Mariners Diamond Clubhouse at T-Mobile Park. He enrolled in the program in 2021 after retiring five years ago. He plans to return to the food bank as a volunteer after completing the program.

AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program participants are critical to the food bank operations. “Grayling and Kwon - as well as the other AARP program participants we’re lucky to have - have been a huge help, especially during Covid when we had fewer volunteers. We’re a volunteer-based organization and it’s been great to have regular, consistent help,” says Food Bank Manager Sarah Huttula .

You can learn more about the program online or call the AARP Foundation’s Washington office at 206-624-6698.