Community Reinvestment in Action: Spokane Eastside Reunion Association

This past Saturday, Spokane Eastside Reunion Association (SERA) and The Way to Justice joined forces to host their extraordinary annual Community Celebration at Underhill Park in Spokane’s East Central neighborhood. Many residents from all across Spokane showed up and these organizations made an astounding positive impact on our youth in just a few hours. It was heartwarming to see many smiling faces and to witness the support of numerous organizations that sponsored and set up booths to contribute to the day’s success. A highlight of the event was the presence of City of Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, who joined in celebrating the Eastside community’s spirit.

Spokane Workforce Council recently awarded SERA $15,000 as part of the first round of our Business Investment Grants (BIG Opportunity), supported by the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Reinvestment Project. 

SERA’s founder and director Michael Brown visited our office to receive the award, where we discussed the critical importance of aligning our actions with our words to address community needs directly. Michael, a dedicated advocate for improving lives throughout Spokane, embodies the organization’s mission of working diligently to bring opportunity and restoration to the Eastside community. BIG Opportunity Grant funds will support operations and sustainability for SERA’s popular restaurant Fresh Soul, a major part of their mission to revitalize, strengthen, and restore the Eastside neighborhood through job training and life skills for young adults. We are thrilled to see where this partnership will lead and look forward to witnessing Community Reinvestment in action!