From Teaching to Service
“My experience serving individuals and families experiencing poverty has been deeply impactful. It has helped me understand the barriers to accessing resources and services, the support that is available, and the complex challenges that many families in poverty face.”
As the Community Engagement Coordinator at the Hilliard Food Pantry Plus, Bethany Lee facilitates volunteer coordination across the site’s programs, including the Share Closet and Food Pantry. By creating a first-time volunteer guide for the Share Closet, updating the pantry’s volunteer management platform with new opportunities, and organizing group scheduling and tracking, she has reinforced the pantry’s volunteer program for greater effectiveness.
In addition to these activities, her role has also emphasized improving processes within the Resident Support program. For this program, Bethany oversees communications, curates promotional materials, coordinates event volunteers, and tracks participant data. Finally, Bethany has also found herself leveraging social media to promote donation drives, recruit volunteers, and express gratitude to the Hilliard community.
Over the course of her service, Bethany has enjoyed the opportunity to cultivate new skills, particularly those related to marketing and creative graphic design. Projects such as designing engaging content for social media and improving the Resident Support community newsletter have presented key avenues for developing these skillsets.
“It has been especially rewarding to hear positive feedback from volunteers using these materials,” she says. “Through this work, I’ve grown not only in my creativity but also in my ability to communicate effectively and engage the community. I look forward to continuing to build these skills in my future pursuits.”
Another accomplishment Bethany is particularly proud of is the Thanksgiving Meal Kit project. Collaborating with other staff members, Bethany brought this program from start to finish, ultimately ensuring the delivery of 60 meal kits to households around the community.
“After distribution, we received many messages of gratitude from residents, which made the effort especially meaningful,” she says.
Through her service experience, Bethany has learned important lessons about adapting to constant change. Due to the ever-evolving nature of community need, she has come to recognize that flexibility is essential in this work. Although balancing many responsibilities at once can be challenging, she has found service very rewarding, and she has appreciated being able to work on a collaborative team.
“My experience serving individuals and families experiencing poverty has been deeply impactful,” says Bethany. “It has helped me understand the barriers to accessing resources and services, the support that is available, and the complex challenges that many families in poverty face.”
Looking back on service, she has been grateful for her year at the pantry and the chance to make a lasting impact. After having completed seven years as a classroom teacher, taking a year to serve has provided her with a meaningful way to gain nonprofit experience and transition onto a new career path.
“I used this experience as a transitional year, which allowed me to apply my skills and knowledge in new ways while exploring a different industry,” she says. “During my service year, I gained valuable experience, built meaningful relationships, and developed new skills. I would especially recommend national service to those seeking a career change, an opportunity to try something new, or a chance to learn more about the nonprofit sector.”
Thanks for your service, Bethany!
