Jubilee Holiday Angels All Year Round 

When you stop to take a look around the city, there is no doubt the holiday season is upon us and in full swing. The Nutcracker’s sugar plum fairies rule the stage at McCaw Hall, the carousel in Westlake Park is illuminated and there are cookies, cookies, cookies everywhere we turn. For many, the holiday season is a time to celebrate and enjoy our friends and families as we spend time and share meals and gifts with each other.

All too often we take for granted the things that make up the holiday season, like buying the perfect gift for a loved one, receiving the perfect gift from someone who loves you or an odd gift from a well-intentioned aunt, or the endless holiday parties and sharing in traditions with your family.

For many people though, they find themselves far from family at this time of year. They are working hard to make sure food is on the table and the bills are paid, and are unable to afford to send presents to loved ones to show them how much they love them.

Jubilee’s residents know all too well how difficult the holidays can be. With an average annual income of only $7,000, or $583 per month, nearly all the residents’ budgets go toward food, transportation, medical bills and other necessities. This usually leaves nothing to buy holiday gifts for their children, grandchildren, siblings or parents or to travel to spend time with family living far away.

Each year, Jubilee collects wish lists from residents and distributes the wishes to community members, business groups, churches and families. The wish lists range from basics, such as food, bus tickets and health and dental care, to things that add a true spark of holiday cheer to the women’s lives, such as tickets to a holiday concert, passes to a ballet show or a trip to the spa. These gifts are so important for the women – it allows them to truly understand how many people in their community care for them and are invested in their success, and that they are not alone during the holidays.

While the holidays are the perfect time to bless others and add a bit of joy to their lives, many of the wish list items residents have requested are needed all year round. Any gift, big or small, will mean the world to the women at Jubilee. A few gift ideas include:

Gift cards to:

• Grocery stores (Safeway, Grocery Outlet, QFC, Fred Meyer)

• Drug stores (Bartell, Walgreens, Rite Aid)

• Department stores (Ross, Target, Macy’s, JCPenney)

• Fabric stores (JoAnn’s, Pacific Fabrics)

Residents would also love:

• Bus tickets

• Entertainment passes to plays, concerts or sporting events

• Brand new makeup

• USB flash drives

• Twin bed comforters

Gifts can be dropped off at our office during regular hours, Monday - Thursday, 9am to 6pm, or Friday from 9am to 5pm.

You can also purchase something to benefit the whole house on our gift registry at Bed Bath & Beyond, accessible online at www.bedbathandbeyond.com or in-store at any location. The information for the registry is:

First Name: Jubilee

Last Name: Gift Registry

Happy holidays and many blessings to you and yours from everyone at Jubilee!