Hello, everyone! My name is Katherine Busz, and I am delighted to join the FamilyWorks team as the new Community Connector. The pilot program began through the City of Seattle in 2017, and now Community Connectors are present in at least 12 Seattle food banks.
So what exactly does a Community Connector do? In the simplest terms, this means that I connect our participants to the resources and services they need. Whether you need help finding housing, applying for unemployment, or getting state or federal benefits like Apple Health or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, I’m now your go-to contact. I can also help you determine eligibility and sign up for the new Disaster Cash Assistance Program!
Of course, starting a new job right before quarantine has certainly made life interesting. While I am present during Food Bank hours on Tuesdays at Greenwood and Thursdays at Wallingford, the best way to contact me if you’d like to apply for services is to email me at katherineb@familyworksseattle.org or call my work cell phone at 206.334.7825 and leave a message.
Self-Care Packets
My current project is making information packets for our participants about how to cope with stress. These include information meditation, ideas for self-care, and a list of activities to do from home. It’s currently available in Amharic, Chinese, English, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese—please reach out if you would like to request or proofread another language.
A little more about me: I am a proud aunt of six, and spend my free time enjoying science fiction and practicing mutual aid with my friends and neighbors. I have a background in theatre and have spent the last decade working in healthcare, so I am prepared to meet these challenging times with adaptability and a smile. The show must go on!
I look forward to serving our community and seeing what kind of future we can build together. Stay healthy, and say hello when you see me. 😊