2024 Annual Awards
Our 2024 Resident of the Year is...
If you have been involved in Northeast Spokane or serve on any local committees, there’s a good chance you know Charles Hansen—or at least recognize his name. He lives in the Whitman neighborhood- in the same house his parents bought when he was a year old.
Charles remembers helping his family by loading his little wagon with household items and hauling them down the street to the new house. A graduate of Whitman Elementary in 1960, Shaw in 1963, and Rogers in 1966, Charles has spent decades dedicating himself to this community and we are most grateful for his involvement over the years.
While riding the bus to volunteer at the library, Charles noticed an ad calling for residents to join the Spokane Transit Authority's Citizens Advisory Committee. He decided to join, and spent nine years helping shape public transit for our neighborhoods. Soon he was attending Spokane Public Library Board meetings as well, and he joined the Hillyard Steering Committee, stepping into multiple leadership roles.
Charles is a driving force behind many of the improvements to infrastructure in the Whitman neighborhood. He’s particularly proud of his work on sidewalk projects around Whitman’s schools. Recognizing that many of the north-south streets were lacking sidewalks, and this is the path for the kids to walk to school, so Charles acted. Through the City of Spokane’s "Safe Streets for All" program, Charles submitted eight successful proposals during the program’s first ten years, resulting in new sidewalks that are safer for students and families alike.
Another accomplishment close to Charles’s heart is the revitalization of Rochester Heights Park. He worked to make the park safer and a more welcoming space—reducing crime and improving park facilities. He is proud to see families using the park again.
Charles met Vicki Dalton in November of 1998 when he was doing a genealogy lookup in the Auditors office for someone. In 2004 Vicki sent a note to Eastern Washington Genealogy Society looking for a genealogist to volunteer in her office, as they had funding cut and needed help. Since he started jury duty (again) the next Monday, he stopped in the Auditors office on the way and told her he was able to volunteer. She looked skeptical but agreed. Charles was there every Wednesday for the next 8 years, on and off, and on a while longer. Today most of those records are available online at the Washington State Digital Archives at Cheney.
Charles serves as Chair of the Whitman Neighborhood Council, is the Community Assembly Representative, and the Traffic Calming Representative, in addition to being on the NECC/ZONE Resident Steering Committee.
He continues the work of fixing up parks and public spaces so that more people feel encouraged to put down roots in Northeast Spokane. You’ll find Charles supporting walk audits for the Spokane Regional Health District or researching links to communities who are figuring out traffic control, bike pedestrian infrastructure, and affordable housing for families. In fact, he has so many great resources he passes along, we have a “Charles Links” Outlook box to refer to – and regularly forward ideas to the Northeast Public Development Authority, Spokane Regional Transit Authority, and other partner organizations.
While Charles never seeks recognition for his efforts, his impact on the community is vast and undeniable. Charles Hansen’s dedication, passion, and love for his community are exactly why he's this year’s Resident of the Year.
Our 2024 Agency of the Year is...
Unify Community Health is a collaborative Agency partner at the Northeast Community Center. From offering vaccines to staff and other agencies on campus, to seeing any student on campus with a dental issue the same day regardless of insurance, it is evident Unify puts people first.
Unify offers affordable, high-quality care for you, your kids, and your grandparents... Whether you’re about to be a new mom, trying to soothe your 6-year-old’s toothache, looking for a sports physical for your budding middle-school athlete or helping your homebound grandparents get their medicine...they are an engaged and valued partner agency at NECC and part of the fabric that makes Spokane a better place to live, learn and work.
While their clients are here, they provide warm referrals to help their clients access other basic needs and services, childcare, employment support or utility assistance.
Staff attend our community resource fairs and other community events to provide information on no/low-cost services, and to be a resource for any residents who come visit their fun table. They also go to campus schools offering sports physicals and vaccinations to start the year off engaged and ready.
Unify Community Health is receiving this award because staff doesn’t wait for neighbors to find their pharmacy, medical, or dental clinics, they actively engage in NECC to promote and support community health.
Our 2024 Partner of the Year is...
On Track Academy has stepped up with its project-based learning, teaching not only the standard curriculum but life lessons and real-world skills.
New in 2024, two Wellness Plus classes were created to define wellness, describe what it looks like in our neighborhoods, and create projects to encompass these ideas. Students have been able to express needs from public safety to reducing the stigma of mental health. These projects include beautiful art, poetry, a tapestry, photography, tie-dye suicide awareness sweatshirts, hug t-shirts, and music. They have been able to showcase their projects to the community so that we know how to proactively support youth mental health and overall wellness.
We celebrate our ZONE liaison Lori Beaty for having this vision and energy to continually let students lead.
Along with their personal projects, the class is positively engaging with their community. Every other week they are holding food distributions of fresh food from the Second Harvest Zilch program. Juniors and Seniors are also mentoring students at Regal Elementary, starting at the playground, then building connections in the classroom and reading books. Some have also made an appearance at the Hillyard Community Center to make cards for the holidays with the seniors.
Not only does this class, and participating in On Track Academy as a whole, provide different growth opportunities, but it also cultivates a desire to connect with others and get involved in the world around them.
On Track Academy embodies everything the Partner of the Year Award seeks to recognize—innovation, community impact, and a commitment to meeting the needs of Northeast Spokane.
Learn more about their hard work and wellness projects at https://thezonespokane.org/youthwellnesszone/ !
