Left alone on a fixed income, Sandra found herself responsible for mounting debts from home improvement projects they had started together, replacing a rotting deck and fixing a bathroom after Jim suffered a fall. The transition from a partnership to solo house management was overwhelming. Jim had spent his career as a state financial worker helping others navigate welfare programs, but now, the tables had turned. 

A Season of Discouragement

Last fall, Sandra began to feel like the purple house was failing her. One by one, the essentials gave out: the oven, the stovetop, the dishwasher, and the plumbing. The final blow was the heat pump and furnace, leaving Sandra in a home with no heat with winter approaching. 

“That was very stressful,” she said. “I was praying a lot… I didn’t know how I was going to do any of that.”

When a vender quoted Sandra $12,000 for a replacement, the cost felt out of her reach. Who would have twelve thousand dollars in their back pocket? she wondered. For a month, she sat in a cold house, her disabled son and her religious group helping where they could, but the furnace was a hurdle too high to climb. 

Neighbors by Your Side

Acting on the persistent advice of a friend, Sandra reached out to SNAP. Within a week, the organization, celebrating its 60th year of service to the Spokane community, was on the case. Soon, the purple house was warm again. SNAP’s housing services team installed a new furnace and heat pump, that allows Sandra to adjust the temperature from her phone. 

“It’s even got this new technology,” she says with a smile. “I don’t even have to get up at night. If I’m cold, I just grab my phone and turn it on.” 

A Future in Color

As SNAP marks six decades of empowering neighbors, Sandra’s story serves as a reminder that Community Action is about more than just repairs, it’s about dignity. SNAP’s slogan is ‘neighbors by your side.”

“It’s really true,” Sandra explained. “They helped better, really, than most neighbors would. I couldn’t have done it without them.” 

With the heat restored and the stress fading, Sandra is looking at her home with new eyes. The purple paint is fading and needs refreshing, but she isn’t changing her mind about the color. 

“I think I’m going to just paint it purple again,” she says. “My husband didn’t appreciate purple… he would have preferred Forest Green. But I saw that purple house, and that was it.”

 About SNAP

For 60 years, SNAP has served as the Spokane area’s Community Action leader, providing over 39,000 neighbors annually with the resources to Live, Learn, and Thrive. From energy assistance to small business lending, SNAP is dedicated to increasing the human potential of our community by providing opportunities for people in need.