SNAP names Spokane Resource Center 2020 Value of Community Award winner
Spokane, WA – SNAP (Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners) has named the Spokane Resource Center (SRC) the recipient of its 2020 Value of Community Award. The Value of Community Award is one of SNAP’s Mission and Values Awards, which SNAP has been administering for 10 years as its opportunity to honor community members for their partnership in SNAP’s mission. The SRC, a HUD EnVision Center, is a comprehensive social-services site located on the second floor of the WorkSource building near downtown Spokane (130 S Arthur St) and is administered by a partnership between the Spokane Workforce Council, City of Spokane, and Spokane Housing Authority. Its mission is Replacing Challenges with Hope through Integrated Community Resources, and it is staffed by representatives from 18 community organizations and non-profits, including SNAP. Since it opened in April of 2019, it has served more than 3,500 individuals and offers a wide variety of services, from housing assistance to healthcare to justice re-entry and more. Shauna Meharry, a SNAP team member who partners at the SRC, nominated the site for the award because of how it exemplifies SNAP’s value of community. Some highlights include:
- The SRC provides a welcoming and safe space for all people.
- If they don’t have the specific service someone needs onsite, they always work with multiple providers to find a reliable referral.
- The staff at the SRC take note of needs of customers and continually innovate ways to serve them better. For example, after recognized that having DSHS services on site could save their clients time and reduce stress, they collaborated with DSHS and now have someone on-site to assist with DSHS-related needs.
- The SRC has become a site for Assurance Wireless to sign people up for state-paid phones. Having a phone can make the difference in getting a job, calling for help, and many other essential needs.
- Former clients have such a compelling experience at the SRC that they often ask what they can do in turn to give back to the community.
“SNAP’s partners at the Spokane Resource Center exemplify SNAP’s value of community every day through their collaboration, tireless efforts and compassion. The SRC and the staff that make it the success that it is are an incredibly valuable addition to creating client-focused partnerships that foster a sense of community in the Inland Northwest” said Meharry.
“We are very grateful for SNAP recognizing the Spokane Resource Center with this award,” said Mark Mattke, CEO of the Spokane Workforce Council. “I am very proud of the new partnerships that have been forged and the wide array of services and resources that are represented at the Center. We all recognize that it’s not about the agencies or the fund sources, but it is about meeting our individual customers where they are, working to overcome barriers, and helping them achieve their goals.”
The Spokane Resource Center is currently closed to customers due to COVID-19, but staff are still on-site and ready to assist customers virtually. Learn more at www.spokaneresourcecenter.org. Learn more about SNAP at www.snapwa.org.
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