Groceries for Families: Week 33 - Day 3
Somehow we missed the coming rain and wind today, making it a clean sweep for decent weather this week during operation. Whew! The rain and wind started right at 3:30pm as the last families were leaving. Thursdays seem to often be a pleasant day. Being the last operational day of the week, it feels like running downhill a bit. Today was great. Lots of activity in the morning with happy shoppers. One volunteer commented that the shoppers are all smiling through their masks. Love that! Families streamed through all afternoon, with operation cruising through without a hitch. The crew works really hard to get 200+/- families through in 120-150 minutes. It’s quite an art to move quickly, while also staying in relationship with people so they don’t feel like a transaction. The crew is great at it.
Sacred Heart Delivery
Highland Covenant Delivery
Groceries today came from the Rotary Bellevue Sunrise Club and the Jubilee Friends group, as well as First United Methodist, Lighthouse, Bellevue Presbyterian, Crossroads Bible, Highland Covenant, Sacred Heart (school & parish), Doxa and Overlake Park Presbyterian churches. A total of 156 orders came in today, which was light in numbers, but we carried over plenty from yesterday to fill the gap. In total, 210 orders went out to families today, with 14 orders carrying over to Tuesday. Thank you to everyone who participated today.
Food Box Delivery
The new food boxes from the USDA arrived today, right on schedule at 9:30am. They are being built and delivered by a partnership between Cascadia Produce and Meadowsweet Farms Dairy.
They are probably the best boxes we’ve ever received. Each box contained produce (3# apples, 5# potatoes, 2# carrots, acorn squash), dairy (1 gallon 2% milk, a block of mozzarella cheese, 8 oz. sour cream, 16 oz. vanilla yogurt, 1# butter) and protein (pork taco filling, 8 chicken hot dogs, 1 dozen eggs).
The crews removed the milk to distribute separately. In this space, we added the fresh produce purchased this morning (lettuce, tomatoes, bananas, green pepper, cucumber). It was easy to pack and distribute, giving the families a well balanced and amount of food. Love it! It is likely some content will change over the coming days/weeks, but this should be our pattern through December.
Today’s AM Crew
The AM crew of individual volunteers did a great job this morning. They received all the incoming groceries and pantry items, plus packed about half the food boxes. They had fun. If you haven’t done this yet, you can sign up for Nov 23 or 24 at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b094daeaf2fa6fc1-volunteer. Thanks crew!
The market was full today with fresh vegetables from the King County grant. People love it! Additionally, volunteers brought donations from the QFC Crossroads, and we still had some donations from the Safeway Thrashers Corner brought by volunteers earlier in the week. Thank you everyone!
A delivery came from Eastside Baby Corner today of diapers and socks. This Issaquah partner has been a consistent part of this program since the spring. Thank you, EBC and Theresa for delivering.
Today’s Market
Feminine Hygiene
To the left is a picture of the feminine hygiene box we put out each day. Many of you give these personal items, which are very popular. We place this box right on the front table where groceries are handed to families. Women can select items for themselves. Thank you to everyone who continues to fill the inventory here so this item can be offered.
With strong wind forecasted, volunteers came today at 3:30pm to take down the canopies out on the main lawn which are most exposed to the wind.
Two weeks ago, we lost one canopy to wind (replacement parts are on order), so we decided to be proactive this time. The canopies were laid down to cover the straw and keep the ground dry, being held down with paving stones. Thank you volunteers! We’ll put them back up on Monday.
Ready for Wind
An email from Melissa Slater, Bellevue School District Equity Project Leader, and National Board Program Coordinator. She is one of the main BSD contacts who help refer families to the ‘Groceries for Families’ program.
This is an overdue thank you for the work you and your amazing Jubilee team have been doing for so many of our most vulnerable students and families. I am beyond impressed by the work being done by…your entire team! Things are more difficult than ever for our families…and the services you are providing are making a profound difference for those that need it most. Thank you for all you and your team continue to do for others in our community. I will forever be thankful.
I hope this finds you safe and well,
Melissa
An email from a family:
Hi, I would like to thank all the people that helped and are helping to provide groceries and other items for my family each Wednesday. We are a one-income family of six. God bless you all. Have a great day! Thank you so much!
We end this week on a very positive note. Despite the difficult situation many families in this community are facing, through the ‘Groceries for Families’ program, they are finding hope, support, love and a feeling that someone cares. That is you, all of you, all of us. We don’t do this for any person gain or credit. We do it because we are called to do so. It is exactly where we all should be. Thank you for being a part of this impactful program. Please pray for these families. Please pray that the virus stays out of this building. It is not welcome. Pray for the resources to be sustained which make this program possible. Keep praying. Keep going. It is working!
Today’s PM Crew
Many of you have been asking about the holidays. We won’t be doing anything different for Thanksgiving, as it would be too much logistically. However, news will come out tomorrow about Christmas and how you can participate.
We wish you all peace,
Ken Carpenter
Director- Community Care, Jubilee REACH
On behalf of the Jubilee family
