Jewels Helping Hands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jewels Helping Hands and Providence Announce New Partnership to Expand Medical Support at Scattered Site Shelters

Spokane, WA — effective 3/30/26

Jewels Helping Hands (JHH) is proud to announce a new partnership with Providence to expand on-site medical services at JHH’s scattered site shelters, strengthening the continuum of care for some of Spokane’s most vulnerable community members.

Beginning this month, Providence will provide dedicated medical staff to all JHH shelter locations. Each site will have a full-time medical assistant assigned, supported by a Providence nurse practitioner who will regularly round at all sites. This collaborative model is designed to improve access to essential healthcare/behavioral services for unsheltered individuals and those transitioning through shelter programs.

“We are pleased to be supporting Jewels Helping Hands in this important work for our community,” said Robert Lippman, manager of the Providence Community Clinic. “This is a shared vision coming to life between community partners to better fulfill the Providence mission to serve all. This stands for our value of excellence to ensure this population is getting high-quality care”.

Through this partnership, residents at JHH shelters will now have on-site access to a range of medical services, including:

Wound care
Medication management
Point-of-care testing for common illnesses such as flu and COVID
Blood pressure checks
Support navigating and connecting to long-term primary care
The new clinical presence at the shelters strengthens efforts to reduce emergency room dependence, improve health stability, and connect individuals to ongoing medical and social services. This addition to scattered sites is meant to provide improved housing outcomes and placements by utilizing a holistic approach to sheltering.

“This partnership directly reflects what happens when community organizations come together with shared purpose,” said Julie Garcia, Executive Director/Founder of Jewels Helping Hands. “Providence’s willingness to meet people where they are will help our guests receive the compassionate, consistent care they deserve.”

"This is powerful example of what partnership can achieve. I am grateful to Jewels Helping Hands and Providence for their commitment to expanding access to critical medical care and reaching even more folks being served throughout our scattered site model," - Mayor Lisa Brown.

Jewels Helping Hands continues to lead innovative, person-centered programs that support individuals experiencing homelessness in Spokane. The partnership with Providence marks a significant step forward in building a more holistic care system that prioritizes dignity, accessibility, and long-term health outcomes.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Julie Garcia
Executive Director/Founder
[email protected]

The cold weather has officially arrived in Spokane. With overnight temperatures dropping into the low teens, our friends experiencing homelessness are facing dangerous conditions outside.

To help prevent frostbite and keep people as safe as possible, we urgently need cold-weather supplies. Right now, the most needed items are Mylar emergency blankets, sleeping bags, blankets, and hand and body warmers.

We would gladly accept new or gently used blankets, which can be dropped off anytime at 3923 N Cedar.

These items go directly into outreach bags and are distributed by our teams and community partners to people who are outside in these freezing temperatures. Every single item makes a difference when it’s this cold.

If you’re able to help, you can donate through our Amazon wishlist or financial links below. Your support allows us to respond quickly and meet urgent needs.

Thank you for showing up for our community and thank you for making a difference!

Amazon Wishlist
http://tiny.cc/w4ov001

Venmo
https://account.venmo.com/u/jewelshelpinghands

PayPal
http://paypal.com/paypalme/jewelshh