Abode Lakewood Hosts 1st Annual Give for Good Drive

Jasmyn Jefferson, owner and designated broker for Windermere Abode Lakewood, has kicked off her first annual drive for the holiday season, Give for Good! This year, the office’s focus will be to provide for military families located on JBLM and local senior citizens center in Lakewood that services Veterans experiencing homelessness.

“I’ve grown up volunteering around Pierce County WA for as long as I can remember. Tagging along with my dad for the old Tacoma Bed Races, March of Dimes, Hands Across America, and the first Seattle AIDS walk. So, when my business partners and I were working behind the scenes to open the office, I was thinking about the Lakewood Community, JBLM and how we could start to focus our community service efforts in that direction,” Jasmyn explained.

Many people are unaware of the many enlisted military members that need additional resources to offset living expenses as they get their careers off the ground. A majority of these young, enlisted soldiers have families to support. The most startling information was these families sometimes qualify for food assistance from the state. This year for Give for Good, Jasmyn is looking to bring awareness to the issue.

“Coming from a military family, my grandfather was a Master Sergeant and retired from Ft. Lewis in the early 60’s and knowing what the sacrifices are for military families, it’s unfathomable that we don’t do more to support them.”

“‘Give for Good’ is the constant theme for our office. From our agents to our staff members, we are always making sure that we are providing everything we can with care and compassion. Our office will forever be committed to providing for our agents, our staff and community at large. Windermere Abode will be giving, for good,” marketing assistant Jamila Crump-Starks explained.

The second focus of the Give For Good drive this year is to support local senior citizens in a similar way by offsetting some of their living expenses by providing hygiene items. A lot of times the cost is so high there isn’t much left over for the basic needs such as bar soap, deodorant, shampoo, and disposable razors, and tooth care. Aarde, an agent and 1/3^rd of the Wing Collaborative, was raised in the antique & auction business where she witnessed aging adults who had to liquidate their estate assets to cover the increasing costs of their basic needs. She also had the experience of caring for her grandfather, a retired NAVY SEABEE veteran during the last 7 years of his battle with Alzheimer’s. After his passing, Aarde continued to work with aging adults with disabilities through DSHS. After becoming a realtor, she directed her focus and worked to receive the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation to continue meeting the needs of maturing adults in her community.

“The senior facility that we have chosen to support houses mainly retired veterans,” Aarde said. “Unfortunately, government funding does not fully align with the costs required, therefore our retired veterans are faced with the difficult decision to allocate their funds between food, personal hygiene, or housing. Sadly, the funding barely covers the housing and results in not only lack of personal care but also the lurking fear of homelessness. It is important for all, but more so for our aging veterans, to feel support, connection, and pride within their communities, and honestly, it’s the least we can do.”

Diapers (NB - sz 4), flushable baby wipes, baby formula, baby foods and cereals, baby soap, baby lotion, dye free laundry soap, adult shampoo & conditioner, adult body wash, adult bar soap, tooth paste, denture care creams and cleaners, toothpaste, deodorant, disposable razors, male & female shave creams.

Donate items from the list we provided to our location in Lakewood at 10304 Gravelly Lake Dr SW. You can call and schedule a pickup from your home (must be within a 15-mile radius from our office) or you can donate cash through Venmo @Jasmyn-Jefferson and one of our brokers will do the shopping for you!

If you are able to help, by donating funds or shopping - call or text Jasmyn Jefferson at 253-297-2637

Thank you for supporting!