Jubilee Reach and the Community: Meeting Crucial Needs in a Pandemic – Bellevue, WA

Jubilee Reach and the Community: Meeting Crucial Needs in a Pandemic

Rationale:

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic/lockdown, Bellevue’s Jubilee REACH organization prioritized the needs of local families as money, food, and opportunity became increasingly limited. While the organization was providing for families prior to the pandemic, Jubilee REACH devoted every possible resource to families, children, and seniors in need following the pandemic’s upheaval and put faith in the community to enhance this support. Considering the city experienced a harsh increase in families and overall people which needed support, Jubilee REACH engaged initiatives such as school Site Coaches, ESL classes at the Jubilee Center, a thrift store, and Community Service Days in order to provide service to both vulnerable seniors and adults.

Goal:

• To create a fair and just community where equality is the outcome through the
  recognition and correction of both historic and systemic inequity.
• To share prosperity through the community (residents, schools, businesses, faith-
  based organizations and nonprofits) working together for the common good.

Project Summary:

The main question posed by Jubilee REACH following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was “What
will [the community] need the most to survive?” The organization then reached out to families that were supported by them prior to the pandemic, where they received valuable input on areas that had to
be prioritized and what exactly could be done. Jubilee REACH then shifted from a charitable organization to an essential service for those who needed it the most. Following this shift, there have been numerous ways in which the organization has supported the community through this essential service lens, such as:

• In March 2020, Jubilee REACH began support for 20 Bellevue School District families, which has now grown to 746 families and an overall estimated 3,357 people. With help from 25 local churches, several partner organizations, and many residents, these families are provided with groceries, hygiene products, and pantry items once a week. This in hand has assisted in alleviating stress and financial burdens for these families that have lost their jobs.
• Through Jubilee REACH, the community has extended care until March 2022 in order to increase
  the amount of support provided from $150 to $300 per family per year during this crisis.
• The Warm Meals delivery service began in Spring 2020 with weekly lunch. The program now
  supports 32 seniors in the community who struggle with isolation and inability to leave their
  homes.
• While the Jubilee REACH Thrift Store was closed for retail during lockdown, the store remained open to receive donations which went directly to assisting local families with clothing, housewares and furniture. The Thrift Store is now reopened for retail and provides vouchers for free clothing, houseware, a furniture bank and jobs for families and individuals in need.
• The partnership with the Bellevue School District allows staff Site Coaches to work with students before, during, and after school. Once schools went virtual, the organization’s Site Coaches continued to provide social and emotional support for students. This is through working creatively and connecting virtually in order to deepen connections and help students feel a sense of purpose and belonging during the crisis. As schools are reopening, these Site Coaches remain available to provide much-needed social and emotional support to students.

Engagement Strategies:

The community was engaged through the simple asking of feedback for what exactly is needed the most
during the pandemic as well as outreach for institutions (churches, stores, businesses, etc.) to provide
for local residents and families.

Outcomes:

• 746 families and an estimated 3,357 people have been provided with groceries, hygiene
  products, and pantry items once a week.
• 100 families have received financial support to help with utility bills, rent and essential needs.
• Support for families has been increased from $150 to $300 per year during this crisis.
• The Warm Meals delivery services support 32 isolated seniors.
• The Jubilee REACH Thrift Store received donations which directly assisted families with clothing,
  housewares, and furniture.
• As schools went virtual, existing site coaches continued to provide social and emotional support
  to students, working creatively, and connecting virtually to deepen connections and help
  students feel a sense of purpose and belonging during the crisis.

Additional Resources:

2021 All-America City Finalist – Bellevue, WA

Local Contact:

Mark Heilman
Neighborhood Outreach Manager, City of Bellevue
450 NE 100th Ave. Bellevue, WA 98004

(425) 452-2735
[email protected]