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“Pullman has been a very good, supportive community. I want to help it stay that way.”

Barbara and Robert Johnson arrived in Pullman in 1957 to launch Robert’s 35 years as an English professor at Washington State University (WSU). It was the start of a distinguished career and a lifelong affection for the small college town. After Robert passed away in 2013, Barbara, who also worked for WSU, wanted to create […]

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Kaniksu Land Trust plans 160-acre community forest

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A 2017 summer camp held by Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT) allowed disadvantaged children to play in forests and wetlands, climb trees, build shelters and have other adventures in nature. KLT’s outdoor educator Dave reluctantly told the kids that the 75 acres they were playing on would be sold that September. Many of the kids wanted

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Shelter feeds and houses Spokane’s homeless youth

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Each year, 500 teens turn to Crosswalk for a warm meal, a hot shower and refuge from the streets. For more than 32 years, the emergency youth shelter has provided life-saving and life-changing programs to address youth homelessness in Spokane. “Crosswalk is a place of hope, strength and safety for young people who would otherwise

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Film production workshop opens media-related opportunities for minorities

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In Spokane, the percentage of women and minorities working in film production is low or – in some areas – close to non-existent. Community-Minded Enterprises (CME), which owns local television station CMTV14, is committed to increasing representation for women and minorities in this field. A $25,000 Community Strategies grant from Innovia Foundation helped to fund

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Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper keeps local waters swimmable, fishable and drinkable

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Thousands of Bonner County residents and visitors visit Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille river to swim and fish. The lake and river also provide a source of clean water for drinking and irrigation. But the water does not stay clean on its own, especially due to water pollutants such as pesticides, wastewater and

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“Every person deserves healthy food every day.”

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One out of every eight people in the Inland Northwest struggles with hunger. For the region’s children, the number is one out of every five. Especially in rural areas – where hunger-relief services are scarcer – many low-income families simply do not have the food they need to live healthy and happy lives. Each day,

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Scholarship fund opens the path to college for underprivileged Mongolian students

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For a child growing up in a struggling Mongolian family, the idea of attending university can be a seemingly impossible dream. The majority of Mongolia’s universities are based in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, a distant step from the rural settings where many families make their home. With grants from the Matthew Girvin Scholarship Fund

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Nonprofit develops pig farm to combat sex trafficking in Uganda

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Sex trafficking is a tragic epidemic in Uganda. Eternal Hope is a locally based Christian non-profit organization committed to rescuing girls from this exploitation. “I was struck by a simple fact early in this undertaking: the girls who have been forced into prostitution have no one to turn to,” said Chris Cheeley, an Eternal Hope

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Medical research institute seeks cure for ALS

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Each year, over 5,600 people are newly diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which gradually deteriorates motor neurons in the brain and usually causes death within three to five years. As their muscles atrophy, ALS sufferers slowly lose the ability to move, eat, speak and – eventually – breathe. Medical professionals are as helpless to

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Nonprofit vitalizes rural communities with leadership training courses

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Rural Development Initiatives (RDI) is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting rural communities in today’s challenging economy. One of RDI’s primary methods of vitalizing rural communities is its Rural Community Leadership Program, a highly interactive course that is designed for a varied set of community members. Innovia Foundation, Avista, and Empire Health Foundation are the

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