Groceries for Families: Week 4 - Day 4
April 16, 2020
We’re finishing up from a very busy day today, with lots of great things happening around here. A strong crew made it all seem easy, and the friendly families make it fun to interact with them all. Lots of “regulars” came today, which is always nice to see the same faces. The line reached out to the basketball court for about 20 minutes but moved quickly once operations opened.
Groceries were delivered today by Sacred Heart, Overlake Park Presbyterian, Redeemer, Doxa and Kalos churches. A total of 95 grocery orders were delivered and all were distributed to families. The last 15 were delivered by site coaches to people’s homes.
Bulk food items were offered today: flour, rice, sugar, salt, pinto beans, cooking oil. They are very popular! It’s great to give these, as we know people will be able to cook with them.
The Bellevue School District brought box lunches again today, as donated by Microsoft. Because the BSD is closed tomorrow, we received two days’ worth in one order, which was 1,000 boxes. That’s a lot, and the concern was refrigerating them overnight. In the morning, we filled my car with 250, and site-coach Sterling drove them to a Tongan Church in West Seattle, which we’ve been connected to and know their congregation is suffering. They were delighted to be able to provide for their people. We must have passed out about 300 to families today, including stationing someone at the parking lot entrance to pass more out as people left. Another 100 was delivered to Congregations for the Homeless. The remaining 350 or so have filled every inch of refrigerator space in this building, ready for tomorrow.
The food bank at Lake Samm Foursquare Church delivered a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as assorted hygiene items. It’s so great to add such things to the market.
A few emails from families to share:
This email 📧 is just to thank you 🙏🏻 guys so much for all your help that you had been giving us during this difficult time me and my family really appreciate everything thanks again .
Hello Daniel, how are you? I'm Doris, a person you guys help. This message is to send a special hello to all the people in our community, that although we do not know, have provided us this valuable help. It is a grand blessing to have people in this walk like you guys that are a blessing from God. I am sure that God will pour down infinite blessings over all our community and you guys who are very special people, I am very grateful because you have done a lot for me. I am a woman with two kids and with a baby on the way. Unfortunately for now I am separated with the father of my kids and it is in these moments you guys have been a grand help to me. Every person that makes this possible, all this help, I will plead to God for all of you. May God continue to give you much more and always protect you, and free you from evil, and keep you healthy. Sincerely, Doris
Hola Daniel, cómo está.? Soy Doris una de las personas a las que ustedes ayudan. Y este mensaje es para mandarles un saludo especial a todas aquellas personas de nuestra comunidad que aún sin conocernos nos an brindado su valiosa ayuda; es una gran bendición tener en mi camino personas como ustedes que son una bendición de Dios. Yo estoy segura que Dios derramará infinitas vendiciones sobre toda nuestra comunidad y ustedes que son personas súper especiales yo estoy muy agradecida porque an hecho por mi muchísimo. Yo soy una mujer con dos niños y espero otro bebé, pero lamentablemente por ahora estoy separada del papa de mis hijos y por eso en estos momentos ustedes an sido de gran ayuda para mi. Todas toditas las personas que hacen posible toda esta ayuda, yo rogare a Dios por todos ustedes. Que Dios le dé mucho más y siempre los proteja los libre de todo mal y los mantenga saludables. Atentamente, Doris
A fun time-lapse video is attached. It covers from about 1:10-3:30pm. Enjoy! Thanks, Sam.
Thanks for all the support and prayers being given to the community through this program. We see the shoppers dropping off in the morning, and there is clearly a common excitement and joy with all of them.
Please continue to work to sustain the involvement and energy of those participating. This is a marathon, and we are all in it together.
Have a great evening!
Ken Carpenter
Service Coordinator, Jubilee REACH
