April 7, 2021

Summer’s not here yet…heck, even spring was kept away for today. It was cold this morning, with a steady breeze which made it colder. The rain held off until the afternoon and didn’t cause much of an issue, even then. After getting used to warmer temps, jackets went back on today for nearly everybody. Wednesday is a very busy day for morning deliveries, and the parking lot was a constant flow of happy people coming to Jubilee bringing groceries, pantry, and hygiene items. Thank you, everyone! Wednesday has become equally busy for families each week, with today having a long line to start and a constant shorter line all afternoon. The operation felt very smooth and calm, which is always nice.

Groceries today were provided by Indian Fellowship, Calvary Chapel Eastside, St. Louise Parish, Newport Covenant, Bellevue Christian Reformed, 24-Seven, Crossroads Bible, and Bellevue Presbyterian Churches, as well as the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Bellevue, and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 249 orders came in today and all went out to families. Thank you to everyone who donated today.

Food boxes came around 10am, which is a great time. Volunteers quickly packed them with ice gel packs (see picture to the left) and wrapped them in insulating blankets. The AM volunteers were primarily from Bellevue Presbyterian Church today. All of them were veterans of volunteering in the GFF, so moved through the task list with efficiency. They received all the incoming deliveries and packed 100 food boxes. Thank you, crew!

Volunteers made two deliveries from a local distributor, one late yesterday and one today. There were 12 crates of sandwiches, salads, and other wrapped meals, which are very popular with families. Half went out in the market today and the other half will go tomorrow. The other load were cases of beverages, also from vending machines. These are also a popular treat, when available. Thank you, Mike and Gil!

The market also had bottles of Yakult yogurt drinks, courtesy of Westminster Chapel. They brought a large delivery on Monday, which we held for today and tomorrow. These are super popular. Thank you, Westminster!

A few updates and stories:

Maria brought the crew lunch today, a very tasty chicken meatball and vegetable soup. All of the ingredients were things she received from the GFF program. She continues to express her gratitude through her cooking. Lucky crew!

Georgina and Alexa have been in the email before. Today they showed up with a gift of homemade chocolate-covered strawberries. Alexa was beaming with pride as she presented them. Written across the top of a few berries are the words, “thank you”. So special.

Sam is a man who has been coming since at least the summer. He is one of the crew favorites, simply because he is talkative and loads of fun. He lives with and cares for his parents, 94 & 88. They come with him sometimes, dressed up in a suit & dress every time, as if they are going out for a special evening. His dad looks so distinguished in his suit and hat. They are originally from Turkey but spent much of their life in Germany, where Sam grew up. They now live across the street from Jubilee. Today, Sam asked some detailed questions about the program and Jubilee. He was very surprised to hear how the program runs, where the food comes from, and what Jubilee normally does. He expressed his sincere gratitude for all the help provided to his family. Those thanks go to you, too.

A picture of a thank you card is below which was found today. It must have been handed to a crew member last week and set aside. Signed Jessica, it is likely a woman who comes on Wednesdays and lives nearby. She is always near the front of the line and very friendly. Enjoy reading it.

It was another good day in the ‘Groceries for Families’ program. Another 9 families came into the full program today off of the waiting list. This is great to see. One woman, with a sticker on her jacket, stayed late waiting for her husband to come to pick her up. Hopefully, she had a good experience today.

Thank you so much for your sustained devotion to these families. Hopefully, you are filled with joy by participating. Everything you’re doing, big and small, matters.

Blessings to you all,

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

Groceries for Families: Week 54 - Day 2

Groceries for Families: Week 54 - Day 3

Groceries for Families: Week 54 - Day 1