01/03/2026
A Letter from our Executive Director
Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we come to the end of 2025, I want to pause and personally thank you for standing with us this year. Jewels Helping Hands exists because of people like you, and this year reminded me repeatedly how powerful community can be when we show up for one another.
Together, we navigated a year filled with both challenges and meaningful progress. With your support, we operated four scattered-site shelters that offered more than a safe place to sleep. These centers became places of dignity, connection, and stability for individuals working to rebuild their lives.
Through our scattered-site programs this year:
• 52 individuals moved into permanent housing
• 10 secured housing vouchers and used them successfully
• 14 transitioned into transitional housing
• 132 were reunited with family and returned home permanently
• 29 entered detox or rehabilitation programs
• 7 received long-term psychiatric treatment
• 25 moved into Safe Haven housing
We also experienced loss, with two guests passing away. Their lives matter, and their stories continue to remind us why this work is urgent and deeply human.
Over the course of the year, we supported 751 guests through our scattered-site shelters, with 649 total exits. As of today, 102 individuals remain actively enrolled in Jewels Helping Hands services as they continue working toward stability and independence.
One of our most significant milestones this year was opening the Housing Navigation Center in October.
In just the first three months, the impact has been extraordinary:
• 905 unique individuals enrolled in CMIS
• 297 accessed shelter or inclement weather beds
• 30 entered detox or treatment programs
• 10 received bus tickets for transportation
• 32 requested SPD pickups and 19 SPD drop-offs
• 8,120 visits through our doors
• Over 6,000 sack lunches served
• More than 2,520 showers were provided
And in 2026, we’re excited to expand services at the HNC to include laundry access, another simple but essential step toward dignity and stability.
The Housing Navigation Center represents a new way forward—meeting people where they are and walking alongside them as they work toward long-term solutions. Its success is rooted in collaboration. We truly are better together, and we are grateful for the many partners who help make this work possible.
A few moments from this year that made us especially proud:
• 131,040 meals were served with the help of our donors and community
• 160 families received holiday meals through partnerships with local organizations
• Our mobile shower program provided 44,560 free showers before the unit was donated to another organization to continue this vital service
• Over 4,500 basic needs bags were assembled and distributed through outreach and community support
• We partnered with 74 organizations across Spokane and Spokane County to serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Looking ahead to 2026, we are continuing to grow thoughtfully and intentionally:
• In January, our inclement weather beds came online, offering overnight shelter to 15 women during extreme weather
• Later in January, we will open the Aurora Center, a new scattered-site program serving the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
• In 2026, we will also partner with Compassionate Addiction Treatment in the opening of a tiny home community.
None of this work happens alone. It happens because donors give generously, volunteers show up consistently, partners collaborate openly, and advocates continue to speak up. Your trust and belief in this mission mean more than words can say.
Thank you for being part of this community and for walking alongside us.
As we move into 2026, we remain committed to expanding access, strengthening partnerships, and continuing to meet people with compassion, respect, and hope to create a community where everyone has a place to call home.
With deep gratitude,
Julie Garcia
Executive Director
Jewels Helping Hands
