John Ficker has spent his career helping others. His resume holds a diverse set of workplaces, but all have a common theme: helping others in the community. And now, he has started a new role as the new executive director for the Thurston County Food Bank.
A Legacy of Nonprofit Work in Thurston County
John moved to the Olympia area in 1994 to attend Saint Martin’s University and just stayed. He loves how you can head to the beach or the mountains or even a big city, in just a day. “I also love that our community hosts many events supporting arts, education, food and fellowship,” he adds.
Working in public service just made sense to John. And he has loved every minute of it. “I love the opportunity for meaningful impact,” he shares. “I love the idea that my role is to build community and foster collaboration. I also feel it is a true honor to be placed in a position to serve others.”
In the past, John has worked for AmeriCorps, TOGETHER!, Community Youth Services, Lewis Mason Thurston Area Agency on Aging, Senior Services for South Sound, DSHS and the Adult Family Home Council. His new role continues this legacy of helping others.
“I have always felt some obligation to be of service to my community,” John says when asked why he chose this career path. “With each of these organizations, I had an opportunity to serve often marginalized communities. I was drawn by the opportunity to make a positive impact on my community.”
Throughout the years, John worked with amazing people, which he says is one of the highlights of his career. Working with these people, he has helped organizations accomplish big things together for the Thurston County community. He was part of the development and opening of the Lacey’s Virgil Clarkson Senior Center in 2003, when he worked for Senior Services for South Sound. “Many years later, as board chair, I was able to participate in throwing Mr. Clarkson a 90th birthday party in that building,” he shares.
While doing long-term care work, he helped develop Washington State’s first plan for addressing Alzheimer’s disease. “I negotiated contracts and lobbied for increased Medicaid reimbursement creating improved access to care for thousands of seniors,” he says.
Thurston County Food Bank
John started as executive director at the Thurston County Food Bank on July 1, 2025. He is excited about new position and the people he will be working with. “I believe the greatest strength of any organization, nonprofit or otherwise, is the people involved,” John says. “Nonprofits with dedicated staff and/or volunteers, along with a clear mission, can have a lasting impact. I see no shortage of passion or persistence among the staff and volunteers at the food bank.”
What drew him to this role was getting to come back and focus on the community he loves, right here in Thurston County. “I was working for a statewide nonprofit organization,” he says. “I enjoyed the work and the impact, but I am excited about being focused right here in Thurston County where I have lived most of my life.”
Stepping into the role, John is immediately faced with uncertainty and challenges, as the food bank is expecting cuts that will affect their services. In fact, before he was hired, friends were texting him about the potential texts. “One text came with a message, ‘They are going to need an advocate.’ I hope I can be an effective advocate for the critical work the food bank does,” he says.
When asked about these potential cuts, John explains that it’s still not clear. “There are many unknowns right now, but what we do know is that individuals and families who rely on SNAP benefits to access food will see reductions in their benefits,” he says. “We anticipate that it will bring us additional clients. We have been told to anticipate a reduction in government-supplied food. The reductions are anticipated to be between 20 and 25%. For some perspective, in 2024 TCFB received $4 million in food from the government. That is a million-dollar loss. These changes threaten our ability to distribute the quality and quantity of food needed to support the nearly 80,000 families and individuals that rely on us.”
Coming to the Thurston County Food Bank during a tumultuous time is not easy, but John – and the team at the Thurston County Food Bank – is determined to continue to serve the community’s needs. “Moving forward, I am relying on the idea that this community will help us respond to the needs,” shares John regarding their new campaign for donations to help cover the cuts. “As our mission statement says, we are doing this work, ‘In the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors.’”
