Courtney and Jessie – A Family Made in the Market
Meet a Market Family near and dear to us – Jessie and Courtney.
Courtney has graced Pike Place Market for over 30 years with her expert salesmanship and infectious smile. She has been a full-time salesperson for various local Market artists, balancing the demands of her job with raising her daughter, Jessie.
“I thought this was going to be a temp job when I started!”, laughs Courtney, “But now, this place is where my family is”.
Sharing the below picture from her younger years, her daughter Jessie tells us how she grew up in the Market and has known a supportive community her whole life.
“The Market family is an excellent example of the level of acceptance, love and support that our society as a whole should strive for,” said Jessie. “People have each other’s back — like, really have each other’s back. It’s incredibly special.”
Courtney has always been an active member of the Market community. She raised her daughter in the Market, collaborating with other working parents to watch out for each other’s children. She was an early advocate for the Community Safety Net when it started in 1999, a fund for people in the Market going through times of crisis. She even helped Safety Net founder Sharon Shaw with the initial fundraising efforts for the fund.
“People have each other’s backs here, and people look out for each other.” said Courtney.
Courtney was devastated to learn that she would have to miss 6 weeks of work due to her upcoming knee replacement surgery. “Never in my life have I not worked for 6 weeks straight. As someone who’s single and completely independent, it meant I wasn’t going to have a stable source of income for weeks.”
Luckily, one of the programs we operate is the Market Community Safety Net, available to anyone who lives or works in Pike Place Market and is experiencing an extreme financial hardship. Last year, this fund helped keep businesses afloat and prevented or ended homelessness for 65 families and individuals.
Having never been to The Market Commons, Courtney was apprehensive, especially because it’s hard for her to ask for help. But after meeting the friendly staff and getting eased into the process for the Community Safety Net, she felt better than ever. Now, she will be able to focus on her recovery and rehab for her knee without worry for her financial situation.
“She needs time to focus on resting and healing,” said her daughter Jessie. “The Safety Net will play a huge part in giving her the opportunity to do just that.”
For Courtney, the most important part is being able to stand and walk for the busy summer season ahead.
“I’m going to work hard in rehab to be back full force in June!”, said Courtney “We’re all a little crazy living this lifestyle, but it’s worth it to be part of this Market family.”
We hope you can make a contribution today to help Market families like Courtney and Jessie get back on their feet!
