May 20, 2021

We end the week with a very positive day. The weather was consistent, with a very cool morning and warm afternoon. The morning was quite busy with a lot of people happily coming to Jubilee with groceries, pantry, and hygiene items. Thank you, everyone! The afternoon was a steady pace of families keeping us all busy. The beginning long line went away quickly but there seemed to always be people coming. This week, including today, also had plenty of new people coming, which was surprising. We added them to the waiting list and provided them all food. It makes us realize there are families still out there needing help.

Groceries today were provided by Overlake Park Presbyterian, First United Methodist, Sacred Heart Parish & School, Doxa, Victory Court, Crossroads Bible, Highland Covenant, Bellevue Presbyterian and Lighthouse churches, as well as Bellevue Sunrise Rotary Club, Champions Foundation and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 174 orders came in today and all went out to families, along with 25 carried over from yesterday. Thank you to everyone who donated!

The morning crew was from Overlake Park Presbyterian Church today, with a good mix of returning veterans and new volunteers. This group worked hard all morning receiving the incoming deliveries, icing the food boxes, and packing about 65 food boxes. Well done and thank you, crew!

A picture of the fish freezer is attached. A few donors keep it well stocked for those families which do not eat chicken. There is usually a nice assortment and those families are very appreciative of the extra option.

Fresh produce from local gardens has begun to show up at Jubilee, mainly greens. Today there was lettuce, chard, herbs, and more. It was a very fun addition to the market. If you know of anyone with a garden in need of a place to distribute the vegetables, please direct them to Jubilee. All are welcome.

A few stories and updates:

Lily came about 11am to pick up two boxes of sandwiches, provided by a local distributor. She took them to downtown Seattle, giving them to homeless people near the waterfront and near Pioneer Square. She said some were hard to locate today. She’s created her own little ministry and is called ‘the sandwich lady’ by some people. She has such a good heart for helping.

We had trouble with one person today. A woman on the waiting list came just after 2pm, which it was plenty busy. People on the waiting list need to wait until after 3pm to receive food. She wouldn’t leave the market area, despite being asked to wait outside the operation. Very casually, she took some food from the market and walked to her car, which was witnessed by our staff. We soon talked to her, where she flat denied taking anything. Lying crosses the line, so she was asked to leave. It’s always such a tough situation when things like this happen. We operate with lots of grace and understanding. Yet, there are some things which go too far. We’ll see if she returns next week.

Rachel is a woman who comes late every Thursday and lives close to Jubilee. She is very nice and has always remained pretty private. Today, she opened up a bit for some reason. She shared that her mother has now moved in with them, meaning another person to feed. She, herself, is in a recovery program, so working hard to straighten out her life. She feels guilt and shame for coming for help, yet expressed such gratitude for the Jubilee program. She knew Jubilee before the pandemic, so felt comfortable coming, knowing there wasn’t a hidden agenda. Despite needing help and feeling welcomed at Jubilee, she said how hard it is to come each week. She’s a wonderful person, trying hard to care for her family. Please pray for them.

You may recall reading about David and his family, who are Jewish. They left the program in the spring when he got a full-time job. A number of boxes of Chanukah candles came in this week, so we emailed him to ask if they wanted them. He came by this afternoon to get them. They are doing well. His job is a good fit for him. His wife is working part-time at retail. Their daughter will finish 6th grade soon. Please continue to pray for them.

We continued the communication with families about the transition coming to ‘Groceries for Families’. Daniel is putting a lot of energy into speaking to everyone, some for the first time and most for the second. Hopefully, the message is sinking in. We’re hoping to see many families tomorrow from 9am-3pm for conversations. Stay tuned.

Thank you for another great week of ‘Groceries for Families’. Please continue to pray for these families and this operation. Thank you for your continued support in so many ways.

Have a great weekend,

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

Groceries for Families: Week 60 - Day 3

Groceries for Families: Week 61 - Day 1

Groceries for Families: Week 60 - Day 2