Staff Spotlight: Jade Fisher

By Abby Bekele, Volunteer Writer

Community advocate and Communications Specialist Jade Fisher joined the Ballard Food Bank’s team in November 2023. She recounted her very first week at the food bank as hectic during the Thanksgiving season but her dedication to this cause has only grown.

“My family is from Vietnam, they were refugees. Coming to America, their story is so much about community care,” Jade said.  

She explains her family's use of local food banks and sponsorship from church groups in Seattle. That community that the social safety net provided is something that she has wanted to grow in her career.

“The public policy at the time existed to create social mobility for people like my family… that's how I got into politics,” Jade said.

Previously a political campaign manager, Jade earned her degree in political science at Washington University, an education and work experience that she continues to utilize. 

“All of my work has been very large scale but I decided I really like being home and doing things where I can meet people and see impact everyday,” Jade said.

While working on a campaign for a client Jade learned a lot about the grocery and food system in Seattle which is what led her to her career at the Ballard Food Bank.

“Each place I've worked I've learned more about where I feel like my biggest impact is,” Jade said. 

Adaptiveness is a skill Jade’s previous work allowed her to hone. She sees getting thrown into new tasks as a learning opportunity rather than a challenge.

“You never know what a day will look like at the food bank,” Jade said.

Some days are full of desk work, such as preparing for the annual Ballard Bites and Brews fundraiser. Other days look like volunteer work in the warehouse. 

“I think it's fun, I get to be thrown into something I might not be familiar with,” Jade said. 

For those less comfortable with learning new skills on the fly, Jade talks about how she appreciates the food bank's versatility and welcoming environment to people of all skill sets.

“I think that's what's beautiful, that people have a lot of ownership over their roles,” Jade said. 

There’s a place for everyone at the Ballard Food Bank and Jade has found hers in a little bit of everything.

Jade holds a poster she created for a board member's fundraiser.

As the Communications Specialist, Jade’s job entails a lot of social media managing, a skill she picked up from her previous work managing political campaigns. She also handles a lot of the website updates, story gathering, and signage for events.

“Really I work with every program,” Jade said.

In her teenage years Jade admitted to being a bit closed off but later on she learned to break out of that shell a little. 10 years later at 25, Jade describes herself as a people person and recognizes the value of connecting with others in her line of work.

Jade is one of the main writers for the Ballard Food Bank Blog page. One of her favorite memories on the job is writing an article on Lucille Sheppard, a kind woman who spent about six months working in the Kindness Café.

“Learning all these facts about Lucille that I probably otherwise wouldn’t have learned if we weren't doing a blog interview was wonderful,” Jade said.

She recounted work days with Lucille, her generosity shown in the little hard candies she would slip Jade throughout the day.

Another memory Jade looks back on fondly is a cooking class she attended with local residents. Over the course of two hours the team cooked up an impressive meal.

“We all sat around after spending the last two hours together and shared a meal with all those people I met,” Jade said. “I think it shows how much people at the Ballard Food Bank connect over food.”

Jade ended up being a translator for the Spanish speaking people at the cooking class, something that made her feel appreciated.

“A lot of people here are new and actually that is really nice so I don't feel alone. It’s a big culture of being able to ask questions,” Jade said.

Jade holds such a wealth of respect for her coworkers and all of their respective skill sets. She adores her work community and everyone's diverse perspectives. 

“My coworkers are so knowledgeable in the things that they do and I learn a new thing everyday,” Jade said. “It feels like they all have a very good commitment to the work they do.”

Khalid Mohammed, the Ballard Food Bank’s Development Specialist has been a part of the team for almost two years. He is a coworker of Jade and talks about his experience working alongside her.

“She is a great coworker, she is very in-tune and has a great personality,” Khalid said.

It’s clear that Jade has become a vital part of the food bank's team, bringing not only valued work to the table, but also a kind attitude and an infectious smile.