Groceries for Families: Week 31 - Day 1
The new week begins with a very busy, busy Tuesday with lots going on around here. All of it is made much easier by the cooperating dry weather. Lots of shoppers were streaming in all morning with groceries and pantry items. Thank you! Families on Tuesdays claim their spot in line with a bag, but then show up just before 1pm. We had a steady line all afternoon until 3:25pm. People seemed to be in a good mood and enjoyed being here. It’s so great to see so many recognizable faces and plenty of new ones. Another wonderful day!
Cornerstone Delivery
Holy Cross Lutheran Delivery
Groceries today were provided by Awakening, Victory Court, Evangelical Chinese, Covenant Presbyterian, Westminster Chapel, Creekside Covenant, Cornerstone, Crossroads Bible, Bellevue Presbyterian, and Bellevue Christian Reformed churches, as well as the Bellevue Kiwanis Club and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 182 groceries came in today (Wow!) and all went out to families today. Thank you to everyone who donated today.
Victory Court Delivery
The Sysco truck arrived at 6:45am this morning, waaaaaaay early. The driver was kind enough to wait until 9:00am to start unloading. We are very careful with the time perishables are kept out of refrigeration. From here, he went to Lake Stevens, Stanwood, and then to our partner in West Seattle, El Dios Viviente Methodist Church. Pastor Gerado is supporting 300 families in that community.
Food Box Delivery
AM Volunteer Crew
The AM volunteer crew was from Crossroads Bible Church this morning. These 8 individuals managed all the incoming groceries and packed a majority of the food boxes. Thank you, crew!
Zucchini & Squash
Mosby Farms in Auburn called late yesterday with a donation of fresh zucchini and yellow squash.
We took a truck there at 9:30am this morning and brought back 6 pallets of boxes.
While there was plenty that needed to be tossed (which is why there were donated), most were lovely vegetables.
The zucchini is especially popular with families. Thank you Mosby Farms and Cascadia Produce.
New Canopies
Lots of shoppers brought Halloween candy with their orders today. We have invited families to a ‘Trunk & Treat’ celebration this Friday evening from 4-6pm. Thank you for the candy!
Three new carports were donated last week, replacing the canopies which were destroyed in the recent wind storm.
Volunteers late yesterday constructed them and secured them into the ground. This gives us an additional covered area of 10’ x 60’ to keep families dry. So great! It also allows us to have two lines undercover. Thank you!
Exit Lane Market
The market was full today with all sorts of great items.
Volunteers had brought donations from the Safeway Thrashers Corner in Bothell, as well as the QFC Crossroads.
It’s so nice to put out a variety of foods for families. Thank you!
A few emails from families today:
Hello. I am writing this letter to tell you "Thank you for your generous donation". I live with my husband and 4 little kids. I am not working because of taking care of my children at home. Only my husband works to support my family. During the COVID crisis, your generous donation is very helpful to my family because my husband's work hours decreased due to COVID. Thank you again. I hope your generous donation makes many people smile and happy.
Quiero agradecer el apoyo que emos recibido mi familia y yo gracias por ese gran corazón que Dios los Bendiga y los llene de cosas lindas a ustedes y sus familias gracias por hacer de estos tiempos difíciles llenos de esperanza .
I want to thank the support that my family and I have received. Thank you for that great heart. May God Bless you and fill you and your families with beautiful things. Thank you for making these difficult times full of hope.
We begin this week with 626 families in this ‘Groceries for Families’ program, which represent about 2,817 people. Last week, 15 families were added to the program. We also removed 23 families which weren’t coming and no longer were communicating. There are 55 families we are “watching” because of irregular attendance. We work to communicate with these families to find out what is keeping them from coming for food. If we can help, we will. If they don’t communicate, the next step is to remove them. Our goal is to get the “watch list” to a very small number.
The top pantry items currently are baby wipes, paper towels, laundry pods and #2 diapers. Thank you!
There is no further update on perishable food since yesterday. Stay tuned.
Today’s PM Crew
Thank you for your continued support of these families. There are so many good things happening here. Beyond food, our hope is families feel loved and seen. You are helping make that possible. Please pray for these families. Life is hard for them.
Have a great evening,
Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family
