Initiatives
In addition to being the home of 10 Agency Partners, The Northeast Community Center has several programs that have been designed to meet the needs of local residents.
The ZONE is a resident-led initiative that works with partner organizations to bring programs and resources to Northeast Spokane. We have 80+ partners who are working on:
- Housing
- FREE after school and summer programs for children
- Food Security
- Employment development
- AND MORE!
The ZONE is constantly working on new things, and you can learn more on their website.
Northeast Community Garden
Established in 1994, the Northeast Community Garden was created at the Community Center by the LDS church as a part of their sesquicentennial celebration. In 2007, to support the Community Center’s expansion, the gardens were relocated to the corner of Liberty Ave. and Lacy Street, a corner of the Andrew Rypien Playfield, and offered twice the garden spaces.
The 56 garden spaces are reserved annually, with the prior year’s gardeners having the opportunity to renew their plots. The remaining garden spaces are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis.
To reserve a garden plot, email our Community Garden Coordinator, Nic Bowcut, at nbowcut@necommunitycenter.com, or call 509-487-1603 Ext. 217.
The Farmer's Market is located at the Community Center every Monday June—October (dates vary by year) from 3:00-7:00 p.m. We have many vendors selling fresh produce, honey, gifts, and more.
Throughout the market season, we host several Community Resource Fairs that add more fun to the market! They often include games, raffles, free food, community organization tables, and children's activities.
Information Access Center
The Information Access Center is a complimentary service in the Northeast Community Center lobby. We have several computers available on a first come, first served basis. We also have free wifi. People use the computers for:
- Resumes
- Job search
- Printing court documents
- School work
- Research
- Faxing
- And more!
Other Programs
Every year the center hosts events and fundraisers that benefit our community. We generally have partner organizations that sponsor or provide assistance with each event.
Events
Free Tax-Aide, sponsored by AARP & The United Way
10:00 am–2:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from late January to early April.
By Appointment Only.
Monthly Pet Walk-in Clinic, provided by Dr. Laura Talaga and The Northeast Washington Spay Neuter Alliance
Low-cost vaccines and microchips for dogs and cats.
3:00–7:00 pm on the 2nd Monday of each month (excluding holidays).
Free Book Fair, sponsored by Page 42 Bookstore
Usually held in January, thousands of used books are distributed to the public for free. Not for resellers.
Sometimes there are other resources, like food and clothes, distributed as well.
Fundraisers
Athletic Shoe Drive, sponsored by The ZONE and EWI Spokane
Usually held in March, we raise funds and collect athletic shoes for Shaw Middle School students who want to play sports, and equipment costs are a barrier.
Swimsuit Drive
Usually held in May, we raise funds for local children who want to take swim lessons in the summer.
Boot and Sock Drive, sponsored by URM
Usually held in November and December, we raise funds for local children and their families who need waterproof footwear to get to school and work.
In 2022, we provided over 50 pairs of boots to kids!
Coats 4 Kids, sponsored by 4 News Now
Held in December every year, our volunteers distribute over 1,400 coats to local families.
Coming Soon
Coffee 2 Careers
This youth workforce development/basic employment skills program transforms the lobby area of the Northeast Community Center into a classroom/coffee shop to provide hands-on training to students aged 16–24 from northeast neighborhoods seeking a GED and career pathway development. Wrap-around services through staff and partners at NECC will be included for program participants.
The NECC MultiCare Behavioral Health Clinic
This resident and school partner priority of increased mental health access in Northeast Spokane has led to our MultiCare partnership expanding community-based behavioral health services on site. The clinic will build capacity of all campus agencies to deliver more coordinated, holistic, specialized care. Private and public funders include the City of Spokane, Spokane County, Department of Commerce, Ballmer Group, MultiCare Behavioral Health, and The Northeast Community Center Association.
The Northeast Housing Security Program
In partnership with HUD and the City of Spokane, we will increase our housing supports to include a housing diversion program aimed at stabilizing currently housed families, and providing case management to support self-sufficiency. This complements our ongoing housing voucher program in partnership with the Spokane Housing Authority.
