Staff Spotlight: Anthony Anderson
Special Projects Consultant
When COVID-19 took Washington by storm in early 2020, Anthony Anderson knew he had to step up and make an impact. Having volunteered for the past 16 months, Anthony reflects on his experience with Ballard Food Bank. “The part that I am excited about is volunteering. I’ve been volunteering for 16 months now, and I just love the fact that I get to at least have a positive impact on the lives of other people. It’s really been engaging doing the home delivery program.”
Anthony has stood out as an incredible team member. When our Executive Director Jen Muzia found out about his experience working with nonprofit cafes, she wanted to partner with Anthony as a consultant to bring our Kindness Cafe to life.
In mid-October, Ballard Food Bank will open a new program, the Kindness Cafe. In this space, community members can come and enjoy a meal free of charge. “We have a vision where anyone can come in and grab a sandwich, cup of soup, or a mug of coffee, and have an opportunity to eat in dignity with their neighbors,” says Jen. “Anthony will help us define this new program, design menus, and envision how it will operate.”
His background makes Anthony the perfect candidate for building this cafe. Years ago, he worked with Common Meals, which has since become FareStart – a local food relief organization. Following this, Anthony established Boomtown Cafe and even consulted with Jamie Oliver on international service projects.
When asked what feelings he hopes to embody in his work on the Kindness Cafe, Anthony says: “A sense of empathy.” He wants to be sure that we honor our clients just as much as our volunteers and seek to erase the stigmas that can be associated with receiving food.
“One thing that happens over food is a chance to bond. It’s a wonderful situation when two people can get together and share a conversation or food. The people coming in to shop as well as the volunteers will have a safe and comfortable environment where they can sit down and hopefully have a shared experience. We will encourage folks from the greater community in Ballard, and Seattle, to come to the Kindness Cafe. To sit in the café and socialize with the people that are there. It is a wonderful way to level the playing field and get a sense that we are actually in this situation together.”
The Kindness Cafe will be a new, evolving program for Ballard Food Bank when it opens. We are thrilled to have Anthony’s expertise to assist in making the most of the opportunity that the Hope Beyond Hunger capital campaign has afforded us and our community.
In the coming weeks, we will continue to highlight the Kindness Cafe, which gets its name from former board member, David O’Neal.
An excerpt from David’s family:
David O’Neal served on the Ballard Food Bank Board for over a decade, and believed profoundly in its mission and the powerful ripple effect of acts of kindness. He loved engaging with people - learning from them, cheering for them, connecting them. David’s family and friends hope when you visit The Kindness Cafe, his exuberance and love of life is palpable. Anyone who had the joy of knowing David can picture him sitting here sharing stories that would undoubtedly include his uproarious and infectious laugh. May David’s boundless spirit be ever-present in the Cafe and continue to inspire connection.