How Lindsey Walker built a community for immigrant support in Korea
Lindsey Walker poses in Seoul, Sept. 25. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
By Bereket Alemayehu
Lindsey Walker never imagined that her life would eventually lead to organizing food drives for immigrant families in Korea. Originally from the United States and once employed on Wall Street, she came to Korea after the global recession in 2008, planning to stay for just a year. But life had other plans. With a Korean partner and years spent abroad, including in Australia, Korea eventually became her home. She describes herself as a jewelrymaker, community builder, helper, book hoarder and wanderer.
In 2020, when the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, she noticed something troubling. Lockdowns and social distancing devastated immigrant communities in Korea, as English teachers lost jobs, factories closed, nannies and cleaners were dismissed from homes, and international students had no safety net.
She said that when people don’t have money, they cut back on necessities. “One of those necessities is food,” she said. “And when people are hungry, they don’t make smart decisions.”
Determined to help migrants and needy families, Walker organized her first food drive at The Hidden Cellar in central Seoul’s Haebangchon. “So many people brought food, and people came to pick it up,” she said. “It was very successful.”
What began as a one-time effort quickly became a full-time mission. With help from friends, she set up the Foreigner & Immigrant Virtual Community Center in Korea on Facebook, and started a Google form where struggling households could request assistance. Boxes of food were packed and shipped across Korea, from Seoul to Busan and cities in South Jeolla, Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces.
Items at a food donation organized by Lindsey Walker in Seoul, Sept. 25. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
Today, five years later, Walker’s food aid program continues to serve between seven and 10 households every other week, supporting up to 30 people at a time. “Most are single mothers or international students,” she said. “Sometimes people apologize for asking. And I tell them, don’t be sorry. The world should be sorry that you even have to ask for food. No one should have to ask for food, especially for their kids.”
People often ask her, what if someone’s scamming you? What if they’re just trying to get free food? Her answer was simple: “If one person goes through all that trouble just to get free food, then it’s still worth it for the many others who truly need help.”
She was open to sharing her personal experiences as a poor college student with a single parent. “My mom had four kids. She used to work for a nonprofit. I guess my mom did a lot of volunteering. I couldn’t depend on her because I couldn’t take money away from the family,” she said.
While studying in college, she worked two jobs, at a restaurant and as a teacher’s aide. A lot of times, she and her roommate depended on food from the restaurant where she worked. “So I know how it feels to be a college student with no money and wonder where I’m going, how am I going to buy food?”
For Walker, the work is not just about survival; it’s also about their dignity. “No one should be hungry. There’s enough for everyone,” she insisted.
Contributions come in many forms. Some bring bags of instant noodles; others volunteer time or offer words of encouragement.
One mother receiving aid once handwrote 100 address labels to save Walker time. “She thought she had nothing to give, but she gave me something invaluable,” she said.
Businesses also play a role, allowing her to set up fundraising tables at community events where she sells handmade jewelry. The proceeds help sustain the program, while special jewelry collections support causes like Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ+ organizations.
Reflecting on her 15 years in Korea, Walker hopes to see more understanding. To Korean society, she urges greater awareness of the contributions immigrants make, as well as the exploitation they sometimes face.
To fellow foreigners, her message is about solidarity: “We need to come together more. That’s the only way to survive here. There are enough resources and people are willing to help — but you have to step outside and connect,” she said.
“We should all be able to relax, enjoy the sunshine and not feel stressed about survival. That’s what community is about — taking care of each other.”
Running the project hasn’t been easy. Volunteers often leave Korea, and donation amounts fluctuate. Still, she keeps going.
Her message is simple: “You don’t have to be a superhero. Even if you just have a bag of ramen to give, that’s enough. If everyone helped out a little, we’d all be better off. If going home is not an option for you, you need to come outside and meet other immigrants and come together. There are people out here who can help you, who can help make this an easier place to live, even if you are immigrants.”
Walker also collaborates with the Itaewon Global Village Center, co-hosting events like the Community Closet, where people can donate and pick up clothes, toys and even bicycles for free. The center is one of the drop-off points for her food donation activities.
“When I first learned about Miss Lindsay, she was running her food donation drive through Facebook,” said Katherine Ann Corteza, director of Itaewon Global Village Center. “We hadn’t met in person until we crossed paths at an event organized by the International Women’s Association. I approached her and asked, 'How can I help you? What can we do to support your efforts?' I really admired what she was doing for the community. However, as a government agency, our hands are tied; we cannot directly use funds for such activities. That’s when we started brainstorming together. I suggested that, since many people donate items that usually go to the Goodwill store, perhaps she could use some of those donations for her food drive. At first, it worked, but soon it became overwhelming because she was receiving so many items.”
Inspired by a U.S. shelter that created a “free shop” for women escaping abusive households, they designed the event to resemble a shopping experience. Participants can browse freely and choose what they want, restoring a sense of dignity.
“In our first event, about 100 people attended,” Corteza said. “At first, they were skeptical because everything was free, but once they saw it was genuine, it was a big success. Since then, we’ve repeated it every year, and this November we’ll hold it again.”
Alongside the shopping event, participants can also receive health services such as free checkups, vitamins and over-the-counter medicine. Over the past years, this Community Clinic has been provided by Agape Medical Mission, a group made up of volunteer doctors.
Corteza highlighted that since 2023, roughly 70 to 80 volunteers have been involved. The Community Clinic has around 15 people, mostly Koreans, while the Community Closet has around 30, and the food donation drives have around five volunteers at a time.
“For the closet and food drives, most volunteers are foreigners. That’s what makes it so meaningful — foreigners helping other foreigners,” she said.
Join the Foreigner & Immigrant Virtual Community Center in Korea group on Facebook or visit itaewongvc.com for more information.
Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He’s also the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.