Allied
People Offering Year-round Outreach began in 1999 as a non-profit
all volunteer organization handing out food in temporary locations
(sometimes including the backs of cars and trucks). It was founded
by CWU professor Philip Garrison and friends from the local Hispanic
community. By
May 5th, 2000, APOYO officially became a tax-exempt corporation run
by an elected board of directors. Board members are elected every
two years at our annual meeting.
APOYO is funded,
in part, by the state of Washington through Hope Source (formerly
Kittitas County Action Council). We also receive donations of food
from Northwest Harvest, a regional organization founded in the
1960s.
A network
of volunteers helps to hand out food at our bi-weekly distributions
(Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings). They also help clean
the premises, bag food for distribution and unload the truck
that comes bi-monthly from Northwest Harvest.
Student volunteers
can also earn CWU credit hours for their work.
APOYO supporters
include Grace Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Women’s
Group, St. Vincent de Paul, the Ellensburg Spanish Foursquare Church,
the Ellensburg Department of Natural Resources, Fred Meyer Foods,
and many other generous individuals who have given their money,
time, clothing and household goods.
Where
we are
APOYO’s
warehouse and distribution center is on the CWU campus
in the old physical plant behind Courson Hall. (View
the campus map.) We do not have the space to store donated
furniture and appliances or other large items. However, we do try
to match donors with needy families through our community network.
Since the start
of our current funding cycle (July 2006), APOYO has served 848
total families – consisting of 3626 individuals, including
1921 adults, 1454 children, 245 infants, and 6 seniors.
