NEIGHBORS BY YOUR SIDE FOR SIXTY YEARS, AND COUNTING……
Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) was born in 1966 at the height of the national War on Poverty. Founded on the conviction that effective help starts in the neighborhood, SNAP began as a grassroots response to systemic economic hardship, ensuring that support was never more than a few blocks away.
Under the visionary leadership of Father Frank Bach, Director of Catholic Charities, and with the support of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, SNAP established its first neighborhood centers in Hillyard, East Central, and West Central Spokane. These hubs provided a lifeline—offering emergency assistance and basic services directly to those most affected by poverty. Soon after, there was a fourth center in Elk, Washington.
When federal funding for the Spokane Community Action Council (SCAC) vanished in 1973, the future of these centers was uncertain. However, the Spokane community refused to let these vital resources disappear. Local leaders rallied to secure funding, and Catholic Charities resumed management, preserving the deep-rooted relationships built with residents and ensuring a seamless continuity of care.
As the world changed, so did SNAP. During the energy crisis of the late 1970s, the organization launched Energy Assistance and Weatherization programs—now hallmarks of SNAP’s work. By 1985, the agency had blossomed into a multi-program powerhouse with an annual budget exceeding $4 million, addressing everything from minor home repairs to homelessness prevention.
On September 12, 1985, the organization formally incorporated as Spokane Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
• 1991: Renamed Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP).
• 2008: Renamed Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners
In the late 1990s, SNAP expanded its focus toward long-term financial empowerment. This led to the birth of SNAP Financial Access (SFA), a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), providing loans and coaching to those often excluded from traditional banking.
In 2011, through the generosity of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, SNAP established its permanent headquarters at the Dominican Center at Fort Wright, creating a centralized heart for its county-wide operations.
In 2026, SNAP is marking 60 years of service. What began as three small neighborhood centers has transformed into an organization serving over 39,000 neighbors annually.
For six decades, SNAP has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with residents, volunteers, and community partners. Our history is one of steady growth, but our heart remains in the neighborhood. As we celebrate 60 years, we reaffirm our promise to the people of Spokane County: to meet every challenge with dignity, every need with respect, and every neighbor with a path toward a stable, connected future.
As SNAP marks its 60th year, this anniversary is more than a look back—it is a year-long invitation to reflect, connect, and move forward together. Throughout 2026, SNAP will celebrate the people, partnerships, and programs that have shaped its past, while also highlighting the work underway to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. From honoring neighborhood roots to advancing housing stability, financial access, and digital equity, this milestone year will focus on learning from where we’ve been and investing in what comes next. With the community at its side, SNAP enters its next chapter committed to the same purpose that guided its beginning: strengthening lives, building futures, and ensuring opportunity remains within reach for all.
