Oh that this mild weather would hold. We all know rain is coming, but it sure is nice to have dry and mild temperatures for a bit longer. Wednesday rolled right along, with all cylinders clicking. It is obvious to the crew how the operation has found a groove. Things get easier and go smoother. The morning was hopping with lots of deliveries of groceries and pantry items. Wow, thank you! Families on Wednesday arrive early and today was no exception. Lots of socializing going on the lawn and at the picnic tables. Great day!

Groceries today were provided by the Rotary Club of Bellevue, Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, and the Jubilee Friends group, as well as Bellevue Christian Reformed, 24-Seven, Bellevue Presbyterian, Crossroads Bible, St. Louise, Newport Covenant, and Calvary Chapel Eastside churches. A total of 197 orders came in and all but 28 went out today. We made quite a few extra from returned items yesterday, which accounts for many of the remaining orders. Thank you to all who participated today. Wonderful!

The AM volunteer crew today was from Bellevue Presbyterian Church. The crew of 8 received all the groceries, packed the food boxes, and set the market. It was great fun! Thank you, team. If you’d like to sign your church or organization up to work a shift together, you can do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b094daeaf2fa6fc1-volunteer1. You will be responsible for recruiting the crew of eight.

Sysco was here at 8:00am this morning with the perishable food box items.

They unloaded at 9:30am, right on time. It’s a great system. There is one pallet of milk gallons. There are two pallets of produce boxes (potatoes, carrots, apples, and onions). There is one pallet of dairy boxes (liquid eggs, butter, and cheese). There is one pallet of frozen protein boxes (chicken patties and shredded chicken). We add to the fresh produce purchased each morning at Smart Foodservice in Bellevue (tomatoes, lettuce, bananas, green pepper, cucumber). It is a well-balanced and good quantity of food given to each family.

One of our Site Coaches, Sterling, had a brilliant idea last week to use QFC shopping carts for families to take groceries to their cars. There were a few carts at the nearby bus station, so we gave it a try. It was a total game-changer, which everyone loved. Early yesterday, we went to the next-door QFC to ask the manager if he would allow us to use carts. He is fully aware of the ‘Groceries for Families’ program, so said we could use as many as needed. Today we used 7! Now, instead of carrying groceries, some of us have been coming cart-chasers. It’s wonderful!

A few quick stories:

One of the grandma’s in the program brought the crew homemade soup yesterday We had it for lunch today. Tasty! Once again, everything she put in the soup came from the Jubilee groceries. That is so cool. She continues to love the people here through her cooking. She has such a sweet and tender heart.
We had a small issue in line this afternoon just before we opened. Cones are spaced out every 7’ or so for families to stand at to stay safely apart. They move from station to station. People regularly claim their spot with a bag well in advance of 1:00pm. Today, the first 7 cones closest to the front had about 15 people standing at them. It was an immediate red flag and totally against the safety precautions. As we questioned the group, it was clear a number of the initial people had allowed friends to join them at the front, despite only saving one cone. We quickly added 7 cones into the parking lot and had everyone space out, making it clear that this cannot happen. It was a very direct conversation, aimed at a few specific people. Afterward, we asked a few of the English speakers how it was received. All said it was totally appropriate and appreciated. It feels like some rule changes about reserving spots in advance are coming next week.
One lady came today in shorts and a t-shirt like it was still August. The woman next to her was in a full-length winter coat. What a contrast! We teased the summer-dresser a bit, which made her laugh. She is originally from Honduras and said she just never gets cold. It was a nice moment in line with a little laughter.

Thanks for another great day. Your generosity in supplying so much to make this program possible is a wonderful gift. Thank you for responding so quickly to the calls for high-need items. Last week, baby wipes nearly ran out. You responded with quick action to ensure no family went without. It shows how much you care and how connected your heart is. Thank you so much!

Looking forward to another good day tomorrow,

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

Groceries for Families: Week 31 - Day 2

Groceries for Families: Week 31 - Day 3

Groceries for Families: Week 31 - Day 1