Tessa Delbridge, Constituent Services Coordinator, 509.625.6716
Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 3:51 p.m.
Another successful Spokane Gives has come to a close, and this year we are celebrating our largest impact since the initiative began in 2014. This year 20,555 volunteers reported 123,073 hours of volunteer service! Using the federal volunteer equivalent of $24.69, this equated to a volunteer impact of $3,038,672.37, and these numbers only represent what was reported. There are still many more individuals who selflessly gave their time and energy to support our businesses and non-profits in April.
It is no secret that Spokane is a compassionate city and a leader in volunteerism. Spokane Gives, a partnership between the United Way and the City of Spokane, serves to expand on the strong philanthropic efforts already taking place in our region. The aim of designating April as Spokane Gives is to highlight a month of giving, raising awareness for our non-profits and connecting individuals with service projects. It is our hope that the connections made during April spur volunteer opportunities and activities all year long through VolunteerSpokane.org.
This year projects included painting murals and picking up trash throughout the Peaceful Valley neighborhood. With the help of the Home Depot Foundation and KXLY’s Extreme Team, the Hope House received a much-needed lift in organization, painting, and lighting. Spokane Public Schools reported over 11,000 hours of parent volunteering, and Gonzaga Prep students added 185 projects. Larry H. Miller completed 13 projects around Spokane on their annual Day of Service, and the Downtown Spokane Partnership lead a “Clean Week” effort to beautify sidewalks, clean alleyways, and scrub away graffiti.
As the summer months begin, we hope community members continue to help out neighbors, serve a meal, and lend a hand in keeping Spokane the City of Choice.
