SPOKANE, Wash. — In the midst of a standoff between Jewels Helping Hands and the city of Spokane, a rock with a racist note wrapped around it was thrown through the window of the nonprofit founder's home on Friday evening.
Currently, Jewel's Helping Hands, or JHH, is refusing to vacate the South Cannon warming center against the city's Friday afternoon request. The city asked the charity to leave while it carries out an investigation on a staff member of the nonprofit.
JHH was picked to run the center, but recent allegations and the criminal past of one of the organizations' founders and an investigation into another led to the city asking the organization to temporarily vacate the building.
According to Julie Garcia, co-founder of JHH, she and her grandchildren were home when the rock hit the window.
“This happened and we have reported it to the proper authorities,” JHH said in a statement. “We have no reason to suspect anyone in particular but do believe it’s related to this week's events.”
The Board of Directors for JHH said it believes politics played a role in the incident. In a separate statement, it said the organization won’t be intimidated and will stand firm in compassion and kindness.
The Spokane NAACP also released a statement on the issue.
On both sides of the conflict, emotions are running high. In the past week protesters made their voices heard outside of city hall, demanding the city allow JHH to stay in the warming center.