GROCERIES FOR FAMILIES

Supporting families affected by the pandemic with food, hygiene items, and other necessities

Jubilee REACH Communications 7/19/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 7/19/21

Groceries for Families: Week 68

The second try at the new Phase 3 operation brought some small changes but mostly stayed the same as last week. Feedback from families and volunteers was very positive about the experience. They like the slower pace, opportunities for choices, and personal interaction. We’ll keep adjusting and improve as we go forward, but we’ve definitely found something very positive in the current setup.

July 14, 2021

The weather today was very helpful for the operation. The morning was cool and cloudy, which makes setting up food outside better. The warmth of the day came later and gave way to a nice afternoon. Yesterday’s drop-off was very smooth, with lots and lots of happy people dropping off groceries and pantry items all morning. Thank you, everyone. Today had families slowly arriving in the morning and getting much busier in the afternoon. When it gets busy, there is a bottleneck around the pantry/milk station, which we’ll work to iron out. Overall, it was a great week, with lots of food & essentials going home with families.

The list of those providing groceries and produce is unchanged. It’s lengthy because all are on one day now:

Churches: 24-Seven, Bellevue Christian Reformed, Bellevue Presbyterian, Calvary Chapel Eastside, Cornerstone Fellowship, Covenant Presbyterian, Creekside Covenant, Crossroads Bible, Doxa, First United Methodist, Newport Covenant, Overlake Park Presbyterian, Sacred Heart, St. Louise, St. Madeleine Sophie, Victory Court, Westminster Chapel

Other Partners: Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, Champions Foundation, Jubilee Friends, Kiwanis of Bellevue, Rotary Bellevue Sunrise

We’re continuing to receive donations from local stores, delivered by volunteers, which we want to always acknowledge and thank. Food from Safeway Thrasher’s Corner was brought by Dale & Kathy. Food from Whole Foods Bellevue was brought by Fred. Food from QFC Crossroads was brought by Gil, Mike and Kyle. Food from Trader Joes was brought by Fred. Food from a local distributor was brought by Mike & Gil. Thank you, everyone.

The AM crew on Tuesday was from Overlake Park Presbyterian Church. All were returning veterans of the shift and worked hard to receive all the incoming deliveries. Some of the grocery store orders need to be sorted, which takes some time. The crew did great. Thank you!

Food boxes from the WSDA arrived today just before 10:00am. Unlike last week when we weren’t sure what to expect, today we were prepared for them. The three pallets of 50 boxes were quickly in place and wrapped in insulating blankets. There was a nice selection of dairy, produce and chicken in each box. All of the items are 100% from the state of Washington. Next week, a 4thpallet will be added as families enter from the waiting list.

rundown of each in order: 1) dish soap and cooking oil, 2) non-perishables, 3) food boxes, 4) pantry items & milk, 5) sandwiches from a distributor, 6) grocery bags, 7) fresh produce, 8) market miscellaneous, 9) bakery from stores, 10) loaves of bread from stores.

Wanting to find a way to keep perishable foods in the market areas cold, we found a countertop refrigeration unit at a local restaurant supply company in Bellevue.

A generous couple purchased it for the operation. Thank you! (a picture is on the left) The store manager was so moved by the story of ‘Groceries for Families’ that he called the manufacturer to ask if they had any other returned units. Indeed, they have four! The manufacturer is donating them to GFF and shipping them to Bellevue.

We’ll likely just have to pay the freight cost. Wow! This will ensure we can keep cold foods at a safe temperature.

Senior lunches went out to 28 people in the community yesterday. A tasty meal of a beef noodle casserole was cooked by Barb and packed with lots of extra goodies. Thank you to Barb, Theresa, and Sheri for delivering. We’ve lost a few people in the program recently due to moving, diet restrictions, etc. We’ll be looking to add some new seniors in the coming weeks.

St. Monica Catholic Church returned at 3:30pm today to pick up all remaining market foods, food box items, and other extras. They are able to get it to families in the outlying communities tonight and tomorrow. Renewal Food Bank brought 12 boxes of loaves of bread and bakery items this afternoon, which also went with St. Monica’s. Thank you, Jo and Mary.

Some of you have asked about El Dios Viviente in White Center. They are also receiving WSDA boxes each Wednesday. In fact, the Medosweet truck goes from Jubilee to El Dios Viviente directly. We’re able to put extra things on the truck for Pastor Gerardo to utilize. They are supporting 250 families currently.

Denisse is on vacation this week, so her spot was filled nicely by Sarah, who is a Jubilee REACH Site Coach at Enatai Elementary. Daniel prepared her well, and she did a great job today. Thank you, Sarah!

A few stories:

If you’re been reading this email for a while, you’ll recall the Jewish families we enjoyed in the program and profiled in this email a number of times. They exited the program five months ago when David secured a contract job at Microsoft. He surprised us by showing up at Jubilee today in the middle of the operation. The five-month contract ended, so he is again unemployed until something similar comes again. He had no idea about Phase 3, so was surprised to see the new operation. We let him go through the operation, so they have food and added them to the waiting list. It was great to see him but sad to see they are in need of help again.

Shahin was also here for groceries today. She is also volunteering nearly every Monday at Jubilee. She’s found a good community here and seems to gain energy by being around people she knows. Her daughter will be 17 later this month. It’s been about 4.5 months since her husband died on February 28. Please continue to pray for her.

Arturo is a man who joined GFF over the winter and has continued in Phase 3. He is single but helps his mother and sister’s family with the food he receives. He seems to have studied the GFF operation and today commented on how quickly things pivoted in July. He is very appreciative of the organized operation and the manner in which food is provided. He expressed his thanks to everyone who donates to make this possible.

Maria brought a Mexican corn & zucchini dish today. Her knee has healed from an operation this spring, but she is still unsteady on her feet. We’re blessed that her cooking skills have not diminished.

Angelina brought the crew another round of El Salvadoran beef tacos today. They disappeared over the afternoon and are a crew favorite, for sure.

Lily took three boxes of sandwiches to the homeless in downtown Seattle. She is official “The Sandwich Lady” to many people, who now anticipate her arrival. She said there were a lot of people there today.

More families came this week than last week. There are still 161 in the new program. Last Friday, we began inviting some of the 85 waiting list families to come talk with Trenton and Daniel on Friday and Monday, so we can learn more of their individual stories. This is the same step the initial 161 before phase 3 started. We’ll continue with the discussions this Friday and next Monday. The expectation is to invite those with the highest need into the program beginning next week. We feel a capacity of 200 families can be supported right now with groceries and within the operation.

If you have any questions about Phase 3 or the new operation, please reply back. If you’re interested in coming to watch the Wednesday operation, just email, so we can give you some instructions and expect to see you. Thank you for all you’re doing to support this ‘Groceries for Families’ program. Prayer is so vitally important and is what has sustained us all. Please continue to keep it all in your prayers. May your heart stay connected and may your own life be changed through it.

Blessings to you all,

Ken & Trenton
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Jubilee REACH Communications 7/8/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 7/8/21

Groceries for Families: Week 67

Welcome to Phase 3! In short, today was awesome and the operation worked. There’s so much to tell you, so get ready for the fire hose of sharing.

The weather has been wonderful, with cool mornings and warm afternoons. What a difference a week makes. Things now start on Tuesday, with lots of shoppers dropping of groceries and pantry items all morning long. For some people, this was no change from last week. For the other 2/3, it was a different day which had some people off schedule. Yet, everyone came who was expected. By noon, the lobby was full with groceries ready to go out. Thank you to everyone who donated this week.

July 7, 2021

Welcome to Phase 3! In short, today was awesome and the operation worked. There’s so much to tell you, so get ready for the fire hose of sharing.

The list of those providing groceries and produce is lengthy because all are on one day now:

Churches: 24-Seven, Bellevue Christian Reformed, Bellevue Presbyterian, Calvary Chapel Eastside, Cornerstone Fellowship, Covenant Presbyterian, Creekside Covenant, Crossroads Bible, Doxa, First United Methodist, Newport Covenant, Overlake Park Presbyterian, Sacred Heart, St. Louise, St. Madeleine Sophie, Victory Court, Westminster Chapel

Other Partners: Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, Champions Foundation, Jubilee Friends, Kiwanis of Bellevue, Rotary Bellevue Sunrise

Families also were adjusting to new days (Wednesday only) and times (10am-3pm). The line at 10am was short but had some familiar faces. The first couple of hours was a slow but steady pace. By 1pm, the pace picked up and kept a good rhythm right to the end at 3pm. There was a short line much of the afternoon but nothing lengthy. We checked in 120 of the 161 registered families, which wasn’t surprising. Communication to some families has been difficult, with voice mails, emails, and different languages. We were resigned to the fact that not all families would know the new schedule. We will now reach out to the missing 41 more directly

There are six main shifts of volunteers which support the operation on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Tuesday morning had a crew of 8 from Bellevue Presbyterian Church who received all the incoming donations and sorted much of the grocery store foods. Tuesday afternoon’s crew of 6 put the final preparations in place for the operation, making sure things were organized, stocked, and ready to go. The first shift today at 8am had eight volunteers setting up the entire operation, including all tables and new stations. They also staged all the initial foods, such as produce, groceries, and market items. The 2nd shift today at 9:30am had eight volunteers running the first half of the operation until 12:30pm. This involved serving the families, helping them, talking with them, and keeping all areas stocked. The 3rd shift today at 12:15pm relieved the second shift and ran the operation until 3pm. The 4th shift at 3pm had eight volunteers tearing down the entire operation, including packing any remaining market foods to be sent elsewhere. That’s 46 people to make the operation run over two days. It was awesome! Thank you, everyone.

We’re continuing to receive donations from local stores, delivered by volunteers, which we want to always acknowledge and thank. Food from Safeway Thrasher’s Corner was brought by Dale & Kathy. Food from Whole Foods Bellevue was brought by Fred. Food from QFC Crossroads was brought by Gil, Mike, and Kyle. Food from Trader Joe’s was brought by Fred. Food from a local distributor was brought by Mike & Gil. Thank you, everyone.

The operation for families is now set up like a one-way route through a market, station to station. After checking in, they take a QFC shopping cart and move their way through the maze, stopping at each station to select what they like. Today, there were 11 stations: soap & oil, non-perishables, food boxes, pantry, sandwiches, grocery bags, produce, market, bakery, pieces of bread, and soda. The flow is intentionally a slower pace, allowing families time to choose. At most stations, there is a volunteer, allowing for personal interaction. After one day, the consensus was it was an overwhelming success. The families seemed very happy and enjoyed the experience. Volunteers were productive but also had lots of time to talk with families. It felt like a community, and it was beautiful to watch.

As mentioned late last week, we were contacted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture about food boxes they are offering from July 1 to September 30. This was unexpected, so had not been in our calculation or operational plans. On Friday, we made the decision to accept the boxes and figured out how they could be added to the operation. They certainly provide a nice variety of foods for the families, much like the USDA boxes did. These boxes are smaller and will have rotating items, all of which come from WA state. Saying yes also keeps us in the conversation when other things become available. Additionally, it allowed El Dios Viviente Church in West Seattle to also be included, providing food boxes for their families. We actually weren’t sure boxes would come today, since it was so last minute, but they did arrive at 11:30am. Next week, our delivery window will be 8-10am.

Senior lunches were canceled yesterday because Barb came down with a sinus infection.

St. Monica’s Catholic Parish was invited back to partner with us as they did prior to May 31. They have many connections in the county to get food to people. They came at 3:30pm to pick up all remaining food boxes and market foods. It is wonderful to be connected with them again and ensures extra food can get to other families.

A few stories:

Lily came for groceries today and asked to take sandwiches to the homeless in Seattle tomorrow. Four boxes are packed for her in the refrigerator. She’ll come at 10:30am tomorrow. The timing doesn’t work out well to get a picture of her or her email report. Please pray for her.

Rose came today, although she is not yet registered for Phase 3. She is on the waiting list. She recently left her job at Home Depot in south Seattle to take a job at the new Amazon grocery store in Factoria. It is closer to home and offered a signing bonus. She’s very unhappy because the hours are very few and the work is in their coolers. She’s sorry she left Home Depot. It’s going to be a hard lesson for her to learn. Please pray for her.

In late May, we profiled a couple of families from Morocco who had shown up at Jubilee seeking help. One family had just arrived and the wife was pregnant. They were all struggling but expressed how happy they were in Bellevue, with the diversity and welcoming community. Both families did end up registering for Phase 3, so were at Jubilee today. The new baby was born July 4, and the parents were very proud to show off their tiny, 6-pound son. They loved that he was born on such an important holiday for the country. It will be fun to see how our relationship with them grows.

One yesterday and once today we ran into difficulty communicating with someone because of language. In both cases, an unexpected solution came instantly. Yesterday, a woman in Phase 3 came to the door, as she didn’t know any details of the new program. She only speaks Farsi, which is a language no one at Jubilee speaks. Shahin happened to be volunteering, so was right there to translate. Today, a woman who used to be on the Phase 2 waiting list came very late, not knowing the former program was done. She only speaks Chinese. James happened to be volunteering, so was right there to translate. In both cases, what could have been a difficult situation, turned into a very relationship moment.

Maria brought chicken soup today. Angelina was here today and promised to bring lunch next Wednesday. We are spoiled.

The waiting list has 85 families on it. Beginning this week, Trenton and Daniel will begin talking to them on Fridays, one by one. Much like in May, this will allow us to listen to their need, their story and build a stronger relationship. In the coming weeks, families with the greatest need will be added to the program. The current target will be 200 families, as it lines up with the current level of support and operational capacity. As families depart the program, we’ll be able to add others. Many of you have already asked about the waiting list, so we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

There’s a lot of information here. If you have specific questions, feel free to reply back. This transition has been over two months in coming and feels like it has been done in a manner consistent with the spirit of ‘Groceries for Families’. The atmosphere today was very happy, very friendly, high spirited and quite…normal. Normal feels good sometimes. We all will continue to do life together – with each other and with these families. Thank you for staying close. Thank you for caring. Thank you for praying.

Trenton will be taking the lead for Phase 3 of GFF, so you’ll be hearing from him more directly. Next week, he’ll start writing the email summary, so please look forward to that change.

Blessings to you all,

Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21

Groceries for Families: Week 66 - Day 3

The final day of Phase 2 has come and gone. It seems best to say it was simply typical. There were lots of happy people here all day, with a strong feeling of community. Despite the bittersweet feeling overhanging much, it was a very nice day of ‘Groceries for Families.’ The weather cooperated nicely, with a cool morning of marine air giving way to a warm afternoon. It’s so hard to believe it was furnace hot just three days ago. The morning was busy with lots of people dropping off donations. Thank you, everyone. The afternoon had a slow but steady line of families.

July 1, 2021

Groceries today were provided by Lighthouse, Highland Covenant, Sacred Heart School & Parish, Victory Court, Doxa, First United Methodist, Overlake Park Presbyterian, Bellevue Presbyterian and Crossroads Bible churches, as well as the Champions Foundation, The Bellevue Sunrise Rotary Club and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 129 orders came in today and all went out to families, along with 24 carried over from yesterday. Thank you to all you donated today!

The AM crew was a mix of individuals from different churches, with some veterans and some new to the shift. They received all the incoming donations, packed bags of produce and did many extra tasks needed to set up the afternoon shift. Well done and thank you, crew!

Pastor Gerardo with El Dios Viviente Church in West Seattle came this afternoon to pick up food for his neighborhood. He’s able to get out any remaining market food to families tonight, which is a blessing to many. He’s been a great partner since the beginning. Please pray for his church and their ministry to the White Center community.

The City of Bellevue was recently received the National Civic League’s All-American City Award. ‘Groceries for Families’ was one of the local programs highlighted. You can read about it in the newest city publication: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2021/Its-Your-City-6-21.pdf. Scoll all the way to the last page.

Puzzles were passed out to all families for the third day. BOOM! They are so very popular. Parents, grandparents and kids lit up at the gift. Chissie had fun passing them out all week. Thank you!

A few stories and updates:

Mariana is a young girl who comes weekly with her mom and dad. They are not continuing in the program, so she drew up a lovely thank you note to present to Trenton. We will miss them.

Jerusalem is a young girl who comes weekly with her Grandpa. They are not continuing with the program. She bounded into the building to present us with a thank you note. We took a picture with her but didn’t realize it was only taken with her Grandpa’s phone. A picture of the note is attached.

Carla reached out this morning to say she wanted to thank the crew by buying everyone a Starbucks drink. Such an offer! We thought it was a bit much and rather complicated, so suggested ice cream bars would be a wonderful substitute. She came with a smile to say thank you, on her last day.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture reached out to us this week to extend the offer of food boxes being introduced by the state from July through September. This was a bit of a surprise. We’re in discussions with the WSDA and Cascadia Produce about how these might be folded into Phase 3, as well as with El Dios Viviente. Stay tuned for more information.

There were many goodbyes, hugs and waves today, as families said their goodbyes. It is a testiment to the feeling of community that people feel so connected relationally to Jubilee. Next week, the program will shift to Phase 3 on Wednesdays, beginning with 161 families. We’ll begin the process of talking to families on the waiting list soon.

Thank you, thank you, thank you…a million times, thank you. This community has come together over the past sixteen months to support many of the vulnerable families in this community. It has felt, from the beginning, exactly where we all should be. Phase 3 continues, yet today marks a special day. May you feel blessed and changed by your involvement.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends.

Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21

Groceries for Families: Week 66 - Day 2

Is it wrong to say it was a little chilly early this morning at Jubilee? Not cold, but just chilly enough to wonder if a light jacket would be needed. That gave way to warmth soon enough, but it was a shocking change to the recent days. The sun finally came out just as we opened at 1pm, which warmed up the afternoon nicely. The operation ran smoothly today. The morning was busy with lots of people dropping off groceries and pantry items. Thank you, everyone! The afternoon was very, very busy, making up for the very slow Tuesday. There was a steady line from start to finish. The last two people coming through picked up for 4 and 5 families respectively, which filled multiple carts. So nice to be busy!

June 30, 2021

Groceries today were provided by Calvary Chapel Eastside, Newport Covenant, Indian Fellowship, 24-Seven, Bellevue Christian Reformed, St. Louise, Bellevue Presbyterian and Crossroads Bible churches, as well as the Rotary Club of Bellevue, the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 191 orders came in and all went out to families today, along with 11 carried over from yesterday. Thank you to everyone who donated today.

The AM crew was from Bellevue Presbyterian today. They were a hardworking crew of veterans to the shift and didn’t need much direction. They did a great job all morning. Thank you, crew!

Puzzles were handed out for a second day. Chrissie is a volunteer who is handing them out each day this week and is perfect for the job. People love the puzzles.

Produce from local gardens is showing up daily. Thank you for all the deliveries and referrals. Providing fresh produce is such fun. The King County Demonstration Garden in Lake Hills brought a nice selection today.

A few stories and updates:

Lily took sandwiches to downtown Seattle. Here’s her email back: “Today was a blessing 🙌🙏 day. Different people to give sandwiches with some different treats. I was looking for the guy who always asked for the Philly sandwiches and I couldn't see him so when I was about to leave in my car I saw him. And I told him I had sandwiches for him. He was so happy he told me that he was from Kansas city I guess and he misses those sandwiches 🥪🥪 I couldn't take a picture of him because my son was playing with my phone. 😁😆 Andrew from The Mission was surprised because there were sweet treats. Kyle wasn't there because it was early. So blessed 🙌💖and he was thankful 🙏💓

We said goodbye to Bertha today and her husband, Vidal. She has been volunteering with us on Wednesdays in the market since about the fall. Vidal goes through the line, while she works, and then goes home. He returns at 3:30pm to pick her up. She was very, very sad today. She has found a family and purpose in being here. Her family will not continue with Phase 3 but is on the waiting list. With the operation changing, we’re not yet sure of where she might volunteer again. For now, we said our goodbyes.

Maria brought Mexican tuna salad today for lunch. It has potatoes, noodles, carrots, peas, and more. It’s quite tasty. She will be continuing with Phase 3.

We said goodbye to Jose today, as he won’t be continuing with Phase 3. He has been profiled in this email a few times, as he takes food to the kitchen staff at the Mexican restaurant he works at in Sammamish. He says his family should be fine without the support. Hopefully, that turns out to be true. We’ll miss him. He’s a good man.

It was a positive but emotional day today, as we say goodbye to so many familiar faces. Many families came up to say thank you. There was a constant tap on the shoulder or tug on the sleeve to say goodbye. These expressions of sincere gratitude are passed to all of you. The families are aware it is people in the community providing all they are given.

Thanks for such a nice Wednesday. It was so nice to be busy after such a quiet Tuesday. The transition to Phase 3 next week is on schedule. There are some unknowns but the overall path can still be seen. Thank you for your continued support, prayers, and sustained energy behind this community program. We are in it together.

Blessings to you all,

Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 7/6/21

Groceries for Families: Week 66 - Day 1

We continue to be protected from extreme weather in this operation. All winter the storms avoided GFF operation days. The intense heat of Sat, Sun, Mon missed us again. It is hard to imagine the operation running yesterday. Under the canopies yesterday was like an oven. Thank you for your prayers.

We begin week 66 of ‘Groceries for Families’ has finally reached the last week of the current GFF phase. Phase 1 ran from March 23 to August 31, 2020. During this phase, families came twice per week and the operation ran six days a week. Phase 2 ran from September 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021. During this phase, families came once per week and the operation ran three days a week. Beginning next week, phase 3 will have families coming one day per week, with the operation running split between Tuesday AM and all day Wednesday. Today’s operation was very slow, even slower than last Tuesday. It is likely a factor of the heat, which remained today around 90 degrees, and the fact that it is the last week. Last Wednesday was super busy, so we’re quite expecting tomorrow to be equally so to balance today.

June 29, 2021

Groceries today were provided by Crossroads Bible, Bellevue Presbyterian, St. Madeleine Sophie, Bellevue Christian Reformed, East Shore Unitarian, Creekside Covenant, Westminster Chapel, Covenant Presbyterian and Cornerstone Fellowship, as well as the Bellevue Kiwanis Club and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 160 orders came in today and 118 went out to families. The remaining will go out first thing tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who donated today.

The AM crew was from Bellevue Christian Reformed Church today. All of them were veterans of the shift, so made quick work of the tasks. A lot of deliveries arrived today, which needed to be sorted. They worked hard and did a great job. Thank you and well-done crew!

Each week, a lot so deliveries come in from local stores, so we always want to acknowledge them and thank the volunteers who bring them. Kathy & Dale brought food from Safeway Thrasher’s Corner. Gil brought food from QFC Crossroads x 2. Fred brought food from Whole Foods Bellevue. Fred brought food from Trader Joe’s Overlake. Gil and Mike brought food from a local distributor. Thank you to all the stores and all the volunteers!

Senior lunches went out to 31 people in the community today. A very tasty lunch of taco salad and lots of extras were nicely packed by Barb, Liz, and Gina. This program has now been running for 15 months and is such a blessing. Today, Barb discovered one of the men had fallen and was stuck, so-called 911 to come help. It’s so important to stay in the lives of these dear people. Thank you, ladies.

A donation of wooden cube puzzles came from a local family. Today, we passed them out to families for kids 6 and under. They were very popular! They are very high quality and have 6 different animals in the puzzles. Thank you, May!

A few stories and updates:

A family came today with a baby in a stroller. We remember this woman being pregnant in spring 2020. She used to come early to avoid being around the larger crowds. Today was Allan’s one-year birthday! It’s quite amazing to be doing life with some of these families so closely that we’re watching kids grow up in front of us. We all came around here today to celebrate.

Hadassah returned this morning to join us for orientation and led us in prayer. She prays very intently and sweetly. It is full of details and specific requests to God. She is well trained and not timid. She had the full attention of the entire crew.

Alleigha is a Jubilee site coach at Chinook Middle School. When GFF began, she took the lead position to check-in families, working six days a week. This was a time when details of Covid were vague, so she put herself in harm’s way without hesitation. She has a huge impact on Phase 1, helping form the operation. She returns this week to work all three shifts with families, so as to be with us at the end of Phase 2. It is bitter-sweet for her but very appropriate for her to return. In September, her job was taken over by Denisse, who has done it since. This is such a key position in the operation. Thank you to Alleigha and Denisse.

A woman came to say goodbye today, as they are leaving the program. Their family of six is from Mongolia, moving here in early 2020. When the pandemic struck, they had nothing. The GFF program was a lifeline, which they relied upon. Her mother now lives with them. Her husband has found work, so they think they will be fine. She expressed sincere thanks for all the support when they needed it most.

Looking ahead to next week, there are 161 families continuing to Phase 3 of ‘Groceries for Families’. There are 83 families on the waiting list, over half of which have been added in the last 10 days. We will begin next week’s operation built around the initial 161 and then see how the waiting list can be added.

We said goodbye to many families today. There were many fun moments of families saying goodbye and thank you. Please continue to pray for them.

Thank you for another great day. It is indeed a bitter-sweet week, with plenty of emotions. Perhaps you feel some, as well.

Have a great evening, which is much cooler than last night,

Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Jubilee REACH Communications 6/25/21 Jubilee REACH Communications 6/25/21

Groceries for Families: Week 65 - Day 3

It feels like week 65 is ending just in time before the intense heat comes. It’s been a good week, with a smooth operation each day. We’re so very fortunate to avoid the high temperatures, though. The morning today was a steady in-flow of happy people dropping off all sorts of donations. Thank you, everyone. The afternoon was a typical Thursday, with a slow but steady flow of families. Having the tomatoes and vaccine clinic here definitely slowed down the turnover of the parking lot, which is fine but was noticeable. It was another good week. Thank you.

June 24, 2021

Groceries today were provided by Highland Covenant, Sacred Heart School and Parish, Crossroads Bible, Doxa, First United Methodist, Bellevue Presbyterian, Victory Court and Overlake Park Presbyterian churches, as well as Champions Foundation and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 148 orders came in today and all went out to families. Thank you to everyone who donated.

The AM crew was primarily from Crossroads Bible Church today. They were a mix of returning and new volunteers to the shift. They also had 5 teenagers, which is easier now that school is out. They worked hard all morning receiving groceries and packing bags of produce. Thank you, crew!

The vaccine clinic with ICHS was here for a third day, out on the grass in the shade. They vaccinated about 12 people, which makes the weekly total about 30 people. Their team was happy with the numbers, which is great.

The final 100 or so tomato plants were handed out to families today by volunteers. Bob and Carol were here all three days to pass them out. Families loved receiving the plants. Thank you to everyone who made this happen.

Pastor Gerardo came this afternoon to pick up remaining market food for his White Center neighborhood. It’s great that food can reach homes this evening, instead of being in Jubilee refrigerators. His operation is running right now, as this email goes out.

As you would expect, we generate a lot of recycling here, primarily cardboard boxes. Our blue bin is only 2 yards, so it fills up fast. Pre-pandemic, pick up was once weekly. Last summer we went to twice weekly. Last fall we went to Mon, Wed, Fri pick up. It still overfills quickly. A fun picture of Phil compacting it down is attached. We do what we have to do.

A few stories and updates:

Lily came again today to take sandwiches to downtown Seattle for the homeless. She has made this her weekly ministry. Here’s what she emailed back: “Today was a blessing day new people to give sandwiches. Kyle very grateful to receive them. One of the homeless saw me with the box and he told me if I need help and I told him I was ok, but one of the guys told me that he hasn't eat for while and he was waiting for The Mission to open so i give him a sandwich and I didn't need to think twice and I give to him. My daughter was her first time going with me And she was all worried because she didn't know what to expect. But for her surprise some homeless people already know me and she saw that and went along. 😄😁😆 And sorry for the pictures it was my son turn to take pictures and appreciate him but there were not what I usually i take.”

Jared is a special needs boy who comes with his mom weekly. He needed a vaccine but wouldn’t get out of the car. So, Trenton and his mom calmed him and distracted him in the car. The nurse came right to the window to give him the shot. It wasn’t his favorite experience, but it is done. His mom is happy.

Dycen and Eddvin are two site coaches who had their last GFF shift today. They have been anchors on the Thursday crew. Eddvin has been part of the operation since the very beginning in spring 2020. They will have next week off before starting summer school for the BSD. Thank you, fellas!

There is one more week remaining in the current operation. We are in the process of communicating to all 162 of the families which will continue in phase 3. That is not an easy task, as not everyone receives communication the same way. Denisse, Daniel and Trenton are working steadily on it. If you want to read details of Phase 3, look at Tuesday’s email this week.

Thank you for another great week of ‘Groceries for Families’. Things feel like they are moving forward very well. Please continue to pray for these families and the transition coming up. We’re continuing to move forward on faith.

Have a great weekend,

Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family

Groceries for Families began in March 2020 to serve families financially affected by the pandemic. Over 25 organizations and churches have partnered with Jubilee REACH to provide families with groceries, hygiene items, and supplies.

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