Darcelina Soloria: Resident, Advocate, Mother, and ZONE Champion
Darcelina Soloria Stand for Children is one of our ZONE partners, reaching families and helping students gain the academic supports that will propel them to their best life. And representing Stand for Children in Eastern Washington is Darcelina Soloria. She is a Northeast resident and mom to two children. When her eldest’s school was in…
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New Report Emphasizes Impact of Immigrants in Spokane’s Economy
“All families need access to equitable employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to thrive. The ZONE is committed to working with partners throughout Spokane to remove barriers and create inclusive spaces with our immigrant and refugee neighbors.”- Amber Waldref, Director, The ZONE New research from New American Economy underscores the critical role immigrants in Spokane city and…
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Efforts of The ZONE Honored by Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho
Girl Scouts Executive Director Brian Newberry presenting the Community Award to The ZONE with Amber Waldref, Director and Krysten Proszek, Expanded Learning Coordinator. We were so surprised last week to receive The Community Award from our local Girl Scouts organization! “This Council Award recognizes community groups or businesses who have supported a Service Unit or…
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Resident and teacher Whitney Bowerman asks, “What are YOU going to do?”
Whitney Bowerman Whitney Bowerman was born and raised in northeast Spokane and is proud of her neighborhood and Rogers High School, where she graduated valedictorian in 2005. So proud that she continues to live and raise her family in the neighborhood, is married to another Rogers grad, and is now a science teacher and coach…
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Gonzaga University Wolff Fellows Create Impact in The ZONE
Alexandria Campbell Ellie Hough For the past 3 years, The ZONE at Northeast Community Center has hosted Wolff Fellows from Gonzaga University-students who desire to work at local organizations focused on increasing equity and social justice. The ZONE is happy to receive a Wolff Fellow from Gonzaga University who can spend a year not only…
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Nourishing Immigrant and Refugee Neighbors through The ZONE Community Health Worker Partnership
Access to healthy foods is critical to healthy kids and thriving families. The ZoNE has formed a partnership with World Relief, Latinos en Spokane, and CHAS Health to increase access to healthy foods with our local immigrant and refugee communities across Spokane County through the efforts of community health workers. Together with our amazing food…
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ZONE Family Resource Coordinators Support Thriving Students, Families, and Schools
Students do better when they have support from both their teachers at school and their parents/caregivers at home. The ZONE has placed two Family Resource Coordinators in six Spokane Public Schools. These dynamic individuals work closely with Principals at their schools to engage families in the school and remove barriers to student success. Nathan Hamilton…
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Terry O’Brien asks, “If not now, when? If not me, who?”
My name is Therese (Terry) O’Brien and I am a retired professional woman with 3 business degrees, 4 children plus 9 grandchildren…and I live in the ZONE. I was born in Wisconsin and was a junior in high school when I first became involved in the business of advocacy. After that, every stage of my…
Read MoreMajority of Northeast Families surveyed worried about housing stability
Thank you to the over 250 Northeast families with children that responded to The ZONE housing survey! You opened up about your level of stress and worry and Spokane is listening. Together, we are fighting for a more equitable distribution of housing and utility assistance. Here are some key results from the survey: To the…
Read MoreRemoving barriers = increasing food security for children and families
In December 2020, The ZONE partnered with Special Mobility Services, SNAP, CHAS, and 2nd Harvest to employ Community Health Workers (CHWs) to deliver Second Harvest food boxes on a weekly basis to ZONE families. Why food deliveries? Many families face barriers to accessing healthy foods on a regular basis not just because of lack of…
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