Spokane Valley Connect News Release
Maurice Smith <risingrivermedia@gmail.com> sends in":
Good Morning Coalition Partners,
The Spokane Valley Connect is coming up in a few weeks, and below (and attached) is our first News Release. In addition to the News Release, I'm also attaching our primary flyer/poster and a flyer for the 3-Courts Warrant Fest that will be part of the Valley Connect. The Valley Connect was born out of the annual Spokane Homeless Connect because people serving on the planning committee for the annual Connect saw a need to address the needs of struggling families in the Spokane Valley (in addition to serving the more "traditional" homeless). Valley homelessness most often exists in the more unseen form of homeless school students and their families The Spokane Valley Connect was launched in 2018 to serve that growing (but mostly hidden) population. When we filmed The Hidden Homeless in 2019 (and premiered at the Spokane International Film Festival in March of 2020), we created a segment called Connecting Families focusing on the Valley Connect and highlighting services for struggling families.
Let me encourage you and your agency/ministry to get involved in the Valley Connect. Vendor registration is open, and available spaces are limited. You can register as a vendor on our website. Vendor registration ends on May 15 (if all the available spaces aren't filled before then). On behalf of the planning committee, we look forward to seeing you and your clients at the Spokane Valley Connect, Thursday, May 30 at Opportunity Presbyterian Church on Pines.
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The 2024 Spokane Valley Connect Is Coming!
The 2024 Spokane Valley Connect will take place Thursday May 30th, 2024 from 12 Noon to 4:00 PM at Opportunity Presbyterian Church located at 202 N Pines Road in the Spokane Valley.
The 2023 Spokane Valley Connect saw 70 vendors serving 384 guests. According to event organizers, last year’s attendance of 384 broke two previous attendance records of 250 in 2019 and 324 in 2018. The number of vendors at last year’s event also set a record, exceeding the previous number of 64.
Modeled after the Spokane Homeless Connect, the Spokane Valley Connect was started in 2018. The goal of the Valley Connect is to provide critical resources to struggling individuals and families who are either experiencing homelessness, or are in need of assistance to avoid becoming homeless. Like the annual Spokane Homeless Connect, this free community services event offers an afternoon of one-stop shopping for a wide variety of needs.
“It’s heartwarming to be a part of something in which the sole focus is service to anyone who seeks it,” said Aileen Luppert, Chair of the Spokane Valley Connect, reflecting on the 2023 Valley Connect. “Every volunteer and provider treats our attendees like an honored guest. Everyone person deserves a day to be a guest - not a homeless person, or an addict, or a struggling single parent - but a sincerely welcomed guest. It’s a privilege to join so many others to offer that gift to our community, even if only for an afternoon.”
Vendor & Volunteer Registration
The Spokane Valley Connect always offers a wide variety of services provided by our many vendors. Vendor registration for the Spokane Valley Connect is open! Registration for a vendor table is $25.00 and will close on May 15th, with the number of available vendor tables limited by space
Interested vendors can sign up by clicking on Vendor on our website: spokaneconnect.org/spokanevalleyconnect
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Valley Connect can discover how by clicking Volunteer on our website: spokaneconnect.org/spokanevalleyconnect
Available Services
Available services at the 2024 Spokane Connect will include:
Haircuts - Showers - A Free Meal
Breast Intentions (Bra fittings) - All Courts Warrant Fest
The Sandy Williams Justice Center - CHAS Medical Services - DSHS Mobile Services
Housing assistance - A Food Bank - A Clothing Bank
Additional providers on site will focus on assisting families, including representatives from Central Valley Early Learning Center and several ECEAPs (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program).
Discover More @ spokaneconnect.org/spokanevalleyconnect