“Bikes for Homeless Vets” to hold Veterans’ Day bicycle donation drive
Spokane, Wash.—“Bikes for Homeless Vets” will hold a bicycle donation drive on Veterans Day, which falls this year on 11/11/11. Donations of new or used bicycles and accessories can be brought to one of two locations in downtown Spokane between the hours of 2 and 7 p.m.: Volunteers of America at 525 W 2nd Ave (2nd & Howard) and Two Wheel Transit at 1405 W 1st Ave (1st & Cedar). The group hopes to gather 100 bikes that can be repaired and distributed to homeless or recently homeless veterans in our area.

The Home Depot Foundation Announces $30,000 Grant to Help Homeless Veterans in Spokane
As part of its “Celebration of Service” initiative to honor U.S. military veterans, The Home Depot® Foundation today announced a $30,000 grant to Spokane-based Volunteers of America of Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho to address the critical housing needs of U.S. military veterans. This grant is part of almost $750,000 in grants announced today for 11 Volunteers of America homeless veterans programs in 10 cities. These programs will provide new transitional housing for 242 veterans and eight single-family homes for lease or lease-purchase by veterans.

Spokane physician Dr. Lisa Bliss attempts epic Death Valley crossing, raises funds for homeless youth
Sports and spine physician Dr. Lisa Bliss will take on an epic challenge this July 25th when she attempts to be the first woman (and second person) ever to cross Death Valley solo, unsupported and self-contained—meaning she will run alone, without outside help of any kind, carrying all her food water and supplies in a 230-lb cart.

Women's shelter needs twin blankets
Hope House women's shelter is in need of twin-sized blankets that shelter guests can take with them when they leave for the day or that can be given to people who come to the door for services but choose not to stay in the shelter.

Crosswalk teen shelter in urgent need of Christmas gifts
Spokane, WA—Crosswalk’s Christmas party is just a few days away and the teen shelter doesn’t have nearly enough presents to make the season bright for the 200 homeless and at-risk youth expected at the shelter's Christmas celebration.

Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel provides meals, feeds souls
Food speaks to teenagers. That's why, for the past 2 years, the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel has supported Project Safe Place by providing meals.

Super Bowl MVP among celebrity models in 12th annual fashion show benefit
Spokane, WA—The 12th annual Hope House Celebrity Fashion Show raises funds that provide up to one-third of the shelter’s annual operating budget—literally providing hot showers, warm beds and a second chance for nearly 350 vulnerable Spokane women each year.

Lake City Blues Benefit to help at-risk youth
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Local blues favorite Coolstack will headline at the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge (209 E Sherman) on Saturday, October 2, 2010, (7-midnight) as part of the Inland Empire Blues Society’s 11th annual Lake City Blues Benefit.

Spokane garners “bonus” grant from HUD to provide homeless assistance
Through effective community collaboration and solid planning, Spokane has received a “bonus” grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to help homeless individuals and families.

Hope House women’s shelter on Friday’s “20/20” airing Friday, August 20, 2010 at 10 p.m. PST
Spokane, Wash.—Spokane resident Melissa Moore, daughter of the infamous “Happy Face Killer” is being featured on tomorrow evening’s 20/20. Moore wanted to include information in her interview about a local shelter offering the kind of services that could have helped her family.

Volunteers of America Thrift Store back in business after roof collapse
Spokane, Wash. — We’re back! Our thrift store has found a new home at 6206 E Trent Ave. (just off Fancher) in the Spokane Valley.

Spokane charity event offers one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day gift
Spokane, Wash.—Area residents have the opportunity to give Mom something local, green and inexpensive this Mother’s Day and make a difference for Spokane women in need at the same time by participating in the twelfth annual I Remember Mama.

North Idaho Clothing Exchange opens for needy teens
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Foster kids and at-risk youth in north Idaho will have a new source of support from a local fourteen year old business owner.

Unlikely models mark 11th anniversary for women’s shelter
Spokane, WA—Where can you catch Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich walking down a runway in a killer tux? Only at the Hope House Celebrity Fashion Show.The fashion show and luncheon—benefitting Hope House women’s shelter—is now in its eleventh year and will be held Friday, October 30, 2009, at the Doubletree Hotel (322 N Spokane Falls Court).

Lake City Blues Benefit supports local at-risk youth
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Local blues favorite Rampage will headline at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel on Saturday, October 17, 2009, (7-midnight) as part of the Inland Empire Blues Society’s 10th annual Lake City Blues Benefit. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at www.ticketswest.com or any TicketsWest outlet. All proceeds benefit Kootenai County at-risk youth through Project Safe Place. Bands Hoodoo Udu and Bones, Bolin and Nelson will also perform.

Women's shelter urgently needs blankets
Spokane, Wash.—The Hope House emergency women’s shelter is in urgent need of twin-sized blankets. Donations can be brought directly to the shelter (111 W Third Ave) weekdays between the hours of 9am and 5pm or to Volunteers of America/Crosswalk (525 W Second Ave) at any time. Questions can be directed 509.455.2886.

Project Safe Place receives $2,500 from Idaho Community Foundation
COEUR D’ALENE, ID—Project Safe Place has received a grant of $2,500 from the Idaho Community Foundation Youth Trust Fund, the Jane Sandy Fund and the Northern Region Greatest Need Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation, providing services and supplies to children in the early stages of crisis at Project Safe Place.

Events lift veil of shame surrounding mental illness among youth
Spokane, Wash.—In honor of Children’s Mental Health Week (May 3-9), local service providers that support mental health for children and youth will participate in an awareness campaign entitled “Lifting the Veil.”

Charity event offers one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day gift
The most meaningful gift you can give this Mother’s Day is something that shows Mom how much she has taught you. Pass on her love and care by making a donation in her honor that allows a low-income senior—who might otherwise spend the day alone—to attend our special I Remember Mama Mother’s Day celebration.

PHOTO OPP: LC Key Club reaches out to keep peers safe
Spokane, Wash.—A group of local students is making a gesture to show their support of Spokane’s Our Kids: Our Business child abuse prevention campaign by helping educate other youth about how they can keep themselves safe in an emergency.

Volunteers of America opens second home for homeless veterans
Spokane, Wash.—Volunteers of America will hold a grand opening ceremony for The Eagles’ Rest—the agency’s second transitional housing facility for veterans—at 1523 N Regal on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, with an all-American barbeque lunch at 12:00 p.m. and a dedication at 1:00 p.m. featuring a traditional blessing performed by Victor LaSarte of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council.

Mead, Whitworth orchestras partner to benefit Crosswalk teen shelter
Spokane, Wash.—The orchestras of Mead High School and Whitworth University will be featured in a concert benefitting Crosswalk teen shelter to be held Thursday, April 16, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran Church (9706 N Division).

CDA Casino, local businesses celebrate “National Safe Place Week”
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Congress has designated March 15-21, 2009,“National Safe Place Week” in honor of programs like Coeur d’Alene’s Project Safe Place, which make help readily accessible to youth who might be abused, neglected, threatened or in immediate danger.

Bridal gown auction, unlikely models mark fashions show's 10th anniversary
Spokane, Wash.—In the late 90s, when a serial killer terrorized homeless women in Spokane, many vulnerable women (particularly those with complicated mental-health and substance-abuse histories) had nowhere to go. That is, until a group of concerned citizens determined to do something.

Lake City Blues Benefit helps a-risk youth
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Award-winning, no-frills blues duo Roberson & Beese will headline at the Coeur d’Alene Casino on Saturday, September 20, 2008 (7-midnight) as part of the Inland Empire Blues Society’s 9th annual Lake City Blues Benefit for Project Safe Place.

Temporary “Faux-hawks” raise funds, awareness for homeless teens
Spokane, Wash.—Hairstylists at Gretchen’s Hair Studio will spend a hot July day creating dozens of “faux-hawks.” The colorful, sparkly, temporary hairstyle can be created with any type or length of hair and will be offered as a way to raise money for Crosswalk—a program of Volunteers of America and Spokane’s only emergency shelter for teens.

Ryan Larsen concert benefits Volunteers of America
Spokane, Wash.—The Ryan Larsen band will be featured in a benefit concert held Friday, June 27, 2008, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Spokane Masonic Center (1108 W Riverside Ave). Admission is a suggested donation of $10.

A critical need, a new resource: transitional housing for homeless veterans
Spokane, Wash.—Volunteers of America will hold a grand opening ceremony for a new transitional housing facility for veterans at 2626 North Cook on Thursday, May 29, 2008, with a lunch at 12:30 p.m. and a ceremony at 1:30 p.m.

Awareness week events lift veil of shame surrounding mental illness among youth
Spokane, Washington—In honor of Children’s Mental Health Week (May 4-10), local service providers that support mental health for children and youth will participate in an awareness campaign entitled “Lifting the Veil.”

Mother’s Day luncheon marks ten years serving low-income seniors
Spokane, Wash.—Just imagine, more than 100 low-income elderly and disabled women—who face a very real chance of spending Mother’s Day alone—instead dressed in their Sunday best, many personally chauffeured to one of the city’s nicest hotels.

Safe Place designates 100th site in Spokane
Spokane, Wash.–At a press conference on Saturday, April 26th, Volunteers of America will hold a “Campaign for Kids” event, celebrating the designation of the 100th Safe Place site since the program’s Spokane launch last April.

Pedals 2 People donates bikes to homeless teens at Crosswalk
Spokane, Wash.—Pedals 2 People will be dropping off a donation of ten high-quality refurbished bicycles to needy teens at Volunteers of America’s Crosswalk shelter (525 W. Second Ave.) this Thursday, January 24, at 3:00 p.m.

For parents of children with mental illness, Passages provides help, hope
Spokane, Wash.—Parents of children with mental illness often must alter their dreams; but that doesn’t mean they must live without Hope. Passages Family Support, a local program administered by Volunteers of America, is here to empower parents of children with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders to navigate systems of care in a way that allows them to raise their children with dignity and joy.

Hope House in urgent need of blankets
Spokane, Wash.—The Hope House emergency women’s shelter is in urgent need of warm blankets. Donations can be brought directly to the shelter (111 W Third Ave) weekdays between the hours of 9am and 5pm or to Volunteers of America/Crosswalk (525 W Second Ave) at any time.

Coeur d’Alene Blues Fest to benefit at-risk youth
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—On Saturday, November 3, the Inland Empire Blues Society will host the eighth annual Coeur d’Alene Blues Festival. The evening will include live music from Jim Tilden and Cool Stack Jack.

Local law-enforcement model fall fashions to benefit homeless women
Spokane, Wash.—Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick modeling a ball gown? You’ll see it at the ninth annual Hope House Celebrity Fashion Show and luncheon on Friday, October 19, benefiting the Hope House women’s shelter.

Mohawk-a-thon benefits homeless teens
Spokane, Wash.–Gretchen’s Hair Studio will host a Mohawkathon to benefit Crosswalk (Volunteers of America’s shelter for homeless teens) on July 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The salon is located at 1711 N. Hamilton St.

Mother’s Day luncheon serves low-income and disabled seniors
Spokane, Wash.—On Mother’s Day, May 199, Volunteers of America will host I Remember Mama, a tribute luncheon for 100 elderly low-income and disabled women who would otherwise be alone.

Safe Place & Stewards of Children: Two new child-abuse prevention initiatives launched
Spokane, Wash.—Recent coverage of child-abuse issues in the Spokesman-Review’s Our Kids: Our Business campaign has prompted the question: what can I do to help? Law enforcement, business and social-service leaders have an answer – get involved in two new child-abuse prevention initiatives.

School district re-evaluating school program at Crosswalk youth shelter
Spokane, Wash.—In late February, officials at Spokane Public Schools and Volunteers of America, the nonprofit that runs the Crosswalk emergency youth shelter, learned that Crosswalk's school program is out of compliance with portions of the No Child Left Behind legislation that restrict educational services offered at shelters.

Fire gutted apartments renovated for homeless
Spokane, Wash.—There was little Mark Agee could do when the Lloyd apartment building, which he owns, went up in flames in August of 2005. But when the smoke cleared, and plans to renovate moved forward, he saw a chance to make a difference.

Hope House Celebrity Fashion Show to benefit homeless women
The eighth annual Celebrity Fashion Show and Luncheon benefiting the Hope House women’s shelter will be held on Friday, October 20. Wine tasting begins at 11:00 a.m. The luncheon follows at noon at the Doubletree Hotel downtown.

Volunteers of America receives $5,000 from Providence Health Care to sustain Hope House women’s shelter
New financial support from Providence Health Care will allow Volunteers of America to help some of the most vulnerable in our community—more than 1,800 homeless single women in Spokane, many with mental health or chemical dependency issues—with nowhere else to turn but the cold, dangerous streets.

13th annual fashion show benefits women’s shelter, features local celebrities
13th annual Hope House women’s shelter Celebrity Fashion Show & Luncheon Friday, October 28, 2011 Doubletree Hotel—322 N Spokane Falls Ct 11am—Silent Auction, Diamond Raffle & Wine Tasting 12pm—Celebrity Fashion Show & Luncheon Tickets available at www.voaspokane.org or 509.624.2378 $40/person or $300/table of eight

Making a difference, two wheels at a time: Local sports bar uses grand opening to gather bikes for veterans
his is the story of a sports bar, a group of veterans, and one hundred used bicycles—all about to get a new lease on life. The sports bar near the Spokane Arena formerly known as Season Ticket is about to start a new life as “The Tailgater.” The new manager is Sweet Beans Coffee owner Kyla Goff, the venue will have a grand reopening on Sept. 1 7, 2011, from 1-5 p.m.