Group Forms To Aid Low-Income Residents Non-Profit Mission Community Outreach Center Aims To Offer A Variety Of Services To Five Neighborhoods

A group seeking to increase services to low-income residents in five North Side neighborhoods has organized and is seeking support.

Officers of the Mission Community Outreach Center say they aim to create a local neighborhood center and bring senior and retired volunteers, church members and other resources to the Garry Park, Mission Park, Logan, Cooper and Hays Park neighborhoods.

In addition to identifying a need for health and nutrition services, the group sees a need for low-cost child care, literacy training and emergency home repairs. What services are eventually offered depend on grant money and the direction members decide to take.

Executive Director Walter Shields said the outreach center is unique in that it has support from school officials and the pastors of area Christian churches. There is both an advisory committee from the neighborhoods and a chaplain’s committee.

The outreach center has an office at Mission Presbyterian Church, 2103 E. Mission.

Though Shields and other founders of the organization - Jo-Ann Hagen and Ray Borders - are active in Christian churches, the organization is not affiliated with a religious institution.

“Even though we all go to church, this has a separate identity entirely,” said Borders.

Shields said the organization would be the first of its kind in Spokane, and one effort to offer programs in an age of diminished government money.

“There will be cuts in social service. We do know there will be changes in the future,” said Shields.

Though Shields and others have incorporated into a non-profit organization and written bylaws and a mission statement, the effort’s ongoing vitality depends on neighborhood involvement.

“I have built this from the top down. Now it’s time to turn this organization over,” Shields said.

Residents themselves will decide how to allocate money and program priorities, he added.

Shields said the organization hopes to get going next year with some low-cost medical services. He also sees potential for affordable day care, summer nutrition programs and emergency home repairs.

“We have ambitious plans, and we’re going forth and putting them together one at a time,” Shields said.

Shields is realistic about volunteer help, but he said senior citizens are eager to give time and expertise.

“They may not give you eight hours a day, but they’d love to give you four hours a week. Everybody sees the need. They’re just waiting for someone to pull it together.”

The outreach center has applied for grants and officers are speaking to churches, schools and neighborhood steering committees.

It soon will embark on a membership drive.

All that is required of members is they attend meetings and offer input, Shields said.

, DataTimes