February 11, 2021

Week 46 of ‘Groceries for Families’ ends on a very positive note. Today’s attendance was definitely impacted by the cold & snow, but the week had very good attendance overall. Quite a few Thursday families came on Tuesday and Wednesday, in anticipation of the snow. We were very fortunate with the weather today. (Thank you to everyone who has been praying!) While the temperature was quite cold, the snow held off with just a few flurries in the afternoon. It could have been very troublesome but was nothing impactful. Whew! About 50 groceries were delivered last night, and the rest came steadily in this morning, along with pantry & hygiene items. Thank you, everyone! Families formed a smaller line at opening time, and the afternoon was a slower pace than normal. But families kept coming through right until 3:30pm.

Groceries today were provided by Crossroads Bible, Sacred Heart Parish & School, Victory Court, Doxa, Bellevue Presbyterian, Highland Covenant, Lighthouse, Overlake Park Presbyterian and First United Methodist churches, as well as Champions Foundation, Rotary Bellevue Sunrise and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 209 orders came in today and all went out to families. Thank you to everyone who donated!

The AM volunteers came from Bellevue Christian Reformed Church. Food boxes arrived at 9am, and the crew had them packed on time. They braved the cold and received all the incoming donations. Thank you, crew!

The market was full today and very popular. A large delivery came through a volunteer this morning who brought donations from a local distributor. A few cases of soda, prepackaged sandwiches, salads, and more filled many black crates. It was a big effort to pick up and organize this load. Thank you, Mike! A lot of food went home with people today.

El Dios Viviente Church in West Seattle came this afternoon, as they often do on Thursdays. We’ve partnered with them since the spring to help them support about 400 families in the White Center neighborhood. It’s better to have food reach the homes of people tonight who need it than sit in Jubilee for the next week. Please pray for their food program.

A picture of volunteers portioning out pet food this morning is to the right. Thank you to everyone who supports this special part of the program. Dogs and cats provide people love and support. You’re helping them not have to choose between feeding their family and keeping their pet. Thank you!!!

A follow up to a family story:

Last Thursday, Erwin’s family was highlighted. https://www.jubileereach.org/blog/2021/2/5/groceries-for-families-week-45-day-3 He returned this evening at about 5pm for groceries and gave an update on his wife. The specialist at Harborview could not find anything conclusive. They now have 3 more appointments next week at Harborview, with the third being a camera going into her lungs. The worst-case would be cancer. But it could also be a treatable condition. He is carrying a lot of stress and is very worried. He shared a bit about their lives and, without sharing personal details here, it is very hard, in general, not just now. They married in 1996 in Honduras and came to the US in 1999. Their daughter lives on her own and their two younger boys are at home. Without steady work, life is harder. The last four years, as an immigrant, have been very stressful. They nearly moved to Spain to get a fresh start. He asked for prayers, as they do daily. He is a sweet man and is just trying to care for his family.

SNOW! We are ready…

The pictures below show the outside operational space as it sits now. There are 14 canopies that make up the sheltered area, along with a full gutter system. The canopies are not made to withstand severe weather. With heavy snow possible and no families coming until Tuesday, we made the decision to take down the canvases. This will avoid damage from the weight of the snow. Volunteers arrived at 3pm and were done within an hour. They will return on Monday at 11am to put them back up, which will take longer. The pictures look so strange, with only the skeletons showing.

An email from a donor, which applies to all of you – you are Jubilee!:

Thank you for all that you are doing. You are incredible and inspiring! I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to watch the GFF program flourish--- its positive reach impacting many in the local community. It is truly an honor to provide groceries each week. I have deep gratitude knowing that the people receiving the groceries are also receiving the love of God. May they continue to feel the love and prayers coming through His faithful disciples at Jubilee Reach over this past (almost) year. Thank you for keeping daily records, I am grateful for the updates and personal stories, and prayer requests. Our family will continue to pray for the Jubilee REACH team, participants/recipients of the GFF program. May God bless you and bring you abundant blessings! What a true gift to the community. Thank you!

Thanks for another great week in ‘Groceries for Families’. Thank you for your time, energy, treasure, and prayers, which sustain it. May you also feel a blessing by being a part of it.

Be warm…turn on the fireplace…get a hot drink.

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

Groceries for Families: Week 46 - Day 3

Groceries for Families: Week 47 - Day 1

Groceries for Families: Week 46 - Day 2