Our 2022 Annual Report

Our work here at The ZONE at NECC had tremendous impact throughout Northeast Spokane last year. We are excited to share our 2022 Annual Report with you! A big THANK YOU to all 111 partners who helped make it happen!

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January 2023 Newsletter

Thank you for joining us to celebrate collective impact and action in NE Spokane. It was meaningful to reflect on the past 5 years of passionate visionary work fostered by Amber Waldref’s leadership, and to recognize residents and partners who have made our outcomes possible. Read More

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Jene Ray’s Interview with Skils’kin

Jene Ray, Associate Director of The ZONE, recently sat down with Steve McBride of Skils’kin for an episode of their new podcast, Good Gab. They talked about challenges during the pandemic, and exciting new plans! Check out the entire interview!

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Summer Learning Family & Student Survey Results

Many thanks to the hundreds of students and families in Northeast Spokane who filled out surveys about their hopes for learning and growth in summer 2022. You can click here to see the full results from over 400 students in Northeast Spokane schools. And click here for responses from over 100 adults and caregivers! These…

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Story of Impact: Patricia Castaneda

In the two and a half years since she arrived in Spokane, Patricia Castaneda has already made herself a familiar and admired face in many different circles. She is a frequent chef at Feast World Kitchen, has been an integral staff member at World Relief, and is hard at work founding Manzanita House, a new…

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Tienaya Sigmund-Godes: Inspirational Northeast Mom Receives Unsung Hero Award

There are few people who embody the strength, compassion, and drive of Tienaya Sigmund-Godes. She is a champion of Northeast Community residents with an incredible list of accomplishments in advocacy, leadership, and community-building, in addition to the time she spends raising her six children. Tienaya’s optimism, resilience, and hard work have not gone unnoticed. She…

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Story of Impact: Lori van Anrooy

Lori van Anrooy Lori van Anrooy, Program Manager and Educator with Food$ense/SNAP-ED, has many years of experience in bringing nutrition education to youth and adults in Spokane County, including in the ZONE. Lori originally found an interest in cooking in the mid-1990s, and leading cooking classes for high schoolers led her to pursue more nutrition…

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Story of Impact: Nakia Arquette

Nakia Arquette Nakia Arquette is a Program Manager with Communities in Schools of Spokane County, a partner in The ZONE. Nakia grew up in Spokane and returned after going away for college to earn her degree in Elementary Education. “Education definitely wasn’t my hyperfocus initially,” she said. “I always found myself wanting to work with…

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