June 8, 2021

We begin week 63 of ‘Groceries for Families’ with a step back to spring-like weather after the summer heat of last week. It actually felt great and was very conducive to the operation. The morning was cool but pleasant. By the afternoon, it started to get warm under the canopies. This evening looks like rain could becoming. The morning here was busy with happy people dropping off all sorts of donations: diapers, hygiene, pantry. Thank you, everyone! Families kept up a slow but steady pace all afternoon. It seemed slower than a normal Tuesday, which could be for any number of reasons. Those who came were greeted in friendship and went home with lots of essentials. Very nice day here.

Groceries today were provided by Westminster Chapel, Cornerstone Fellowship, Bellevue Christian Reformed, Bellevue Presbyterian, Crossroads Bible, Creekside Covenant, East Shore Unitarian, St. Madeleine Sophie, and Covenant Presbyterian churches, as well as Bellevue Kiwanis Club and the Jubilee Friends group. A total of 172 orders came in today and all but 17 went out to families today. The remaining few will go out first thing tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who donated today.

The AM crew were a group of general volunteers today, all returning veterans of the shift. They worked hard on a busy Tuesday receiving all the incoming deliveries. They packed about 60 plastic bags with fresh produce and eggs, getting the operation ready for the afternoon. Thank you, crew!

Thank you to the stores which donate food and the volunteers which bring it to Jubilee. It all fills the market daily. Kathy & Dale deliver from Safeway Thrasher’s Corner; Rick delivers from Amazon Fresh; Mike, Gil & Kyle deliver from QFC Crossroads; Fred delivers from Trader Joes Overlake; Duanne & Bob deliver from Safeway Overlake via Renewal Food Bank; Gil & Mike deliver from a Local Distributor; Fred delivers from Whole Foods Bellevue. Thank you all!

Senior lunches went out to 30 people in the community today. Homemade chicken salad with walnuts and cranberries on a fresh croissant was the meal, along with lots of extras. All were made and packed with lots of love. One of the seniors was in a car accident recently, so a card and flowers were included for her. Thank you Gina, Theresa, and Sheri for your wonderful service today.

A Starbucks in downtown Bellevue donated two carloads of frozen food this afternoon: breakfast sandwiches, croissants, loaves of bread, and more. It will go out into the market tomorrow. Thank you, Larry & Bettina.

A few stories and updates:

A few weeks ago, this email highlighted Hadassah, a 9-year-old who made a poster for the crew and led us in prayer. Today, her mom and two younger sisters joined her during the opening orientation. Six-year-old Adrianna led us in prayer, which was incredibly moving for everyone. Such a sweet family. Mom, Esther, was beaming with pride.

Victor is a man who comes on Thursday, always right at the end of the shift at 3:30pm. He’s very nice and always brings his smile, despite being obviously tired from work. We learned a little more of his story recently. He is a single dad with two children and, last year was actually homeless and unemployed. He was lost in a culture he doesn’t understand. Somehow, an angel came in the form of a man he didn’t know. This man helped them find housing and find Victor a job in construction out in Fall City. He found Jubilee and GFF through his kid’s school, which stabilized their food insecurity. Their lives are now calm for the first time in a long time, although they are barely making it. They are happy and have each other. He expressed his immense gratitude for the support he receives here.

Angelina, who often makes the crew lunch, sent a nice note: “Coming to Jubilee has been such a big help to our family because everything we get is stuff we need. Nowadays, everything is so expensive, that even $100 doesn’t get you anything. Honestly, everything we receive at Jubilee is things we use. Never have we wasted anything provided. We use it all. Thank you!

A note from a family, summarized by Daniel: “This support has meant everything. It changed our lives. The boys lost their dad, which left us in debt. The first few years he was gone we lived with his mom. The debt was so big though, and then she died, so we had to move again. We rented an apartment that we share, but we're thankful we have a place to live. I started to work more at Starbucks because we needed money. When the program started it was a blessing because we didn't have to buy certain things like those essentials you give. The school gave us some help but we couldn't buy toiletries, but we had that here at Jubilee. We did not have to buy meats. Getting all this food now, given that I work more, my kids are helping me in the kitchen a little more. Thank you.”

The Phase 3 conversations with the families finished yesterday. The numbers grew from 75 last Monday to 120 on Friday to 155 yesterday. So, after four weeks of listening to families to hear their needs, there are 155 families which came forward to say they will need help after July 1. This is about 1/5 of the peak numbers in the spring and about 1/4 of the current numbers. As we know other families will still come, a waiting list will be started, but Phase 3 will now be designed around these numbers to start and all the feedback they provided. We have detailed information about their stories, their needs, and how much support best helps. The framework of Phase 3 of GFF will be rolled out to the partner leaders & organizers this week, inviting them into their own discernment. Details will be shared in this email and through other communication in the coming days and weeks. Please pray for this transition. Pray for the families which will not be continuing to Phase 3. Thank you.

We begin this week with 604 families in ‘Groceries for Families’. The steady downward trend has continued since the peak of 750 in the early spring. We’re wondering how attendance will happen this month, as most of these families will finish with GFF by July 1. They all have been invited to come right to the end. It will be sad to say goodbye to so many of them.

Thank you for another great day. Your continued support has sustained this program daily, weekly, monthly. Thank you!

Have a great evening, wherever this email finds you,

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

Groceries for Families: Week 63 - Day 1

Groceries for Families: Week 63 - Day 2

Groceries for Families: Week 62 - Day 3