Dear Campbell Farm Community,
As the seasons change, we find ourselves reflecting on a summer filled with hard work, new partnerships, unexpected challenges, and plenty of reminders of just how special our community is. It's been a busy few months at Campbell Farm, and we'd love to share a little of what we've been up to!
We celebrated another successful summer of providing free, nutritious meals to youth throughout our area! Our Summer Meals Program continues to be an important part of how we serve local families, helping ensure kids have access to good food while school is out. We're grateful for our hardworking kitchen staff, community partners, and everyone who helped make another summer of meals possible.
This summer also brought heartbreaking challenges for many of our neighbors in White Swan as devastating wildfires destroyed homes and displaced families. In the days following the fires, Campbell Farm worked alongside local organizations and community partners to help meet immediate needs. Thanks to the incredible generosity of churches, donors, and partners, we've been able to get essential supplies and other assistance directly into the hands of families who need them.
But we know the road doesn't end when the fires are out. We've continued walking alongside affected families, working with Yakama Housing Authority, and other partners to help navigate housing options, connect with resources, and take the next steps toward stability. Having supported families through previous fires, we know how long this process can take, and we're committed to being here for the long haul.
One of the wonderful new relationships to come out of this season has been our partnership with Save the Children. Their support has helped us provide additional resources to families affected by the fires, and we're excited that this partnership will continue beyond disaster response. Together, we're looking at new opportunities to support local youth, early childhood education, and families in our area.
We're also happy to share that through the Greater Health Now Community Hub, we continue working one-on-one with individuals and families to help navigate services, connect with resources, and find support for needs like housing, food, transportation, and more. Sometimes having someone to walk alongside you and help figure out the next step makes all the difference.
Youth opportunities remain close to our hearts, and we're continuing our partnership with the University of Washington while exploring some changes to our STEAM programming. After several years of incredible experiences, including our students' trip to NASA last year, we're taking time to rethink the traditional program format and explore new ways to better reach and engage local youth. We're excited to see how these opportunities continue to grow and evolve.
Meanwhile, there's been no shortage of activity right here at the farm! We've been tackling a long list of projects, cleanup, and improvements around the property. Irrigation work has been a particularly big undertaking, along with relocating our chickens and continuing to care for the land and spaces that make Campbell Farm what it is. It's the kind of behind-the-scenes work that isn't always exciting to talk about but makes a big difference in keeping the farm running and ready for our community.
This season also brought a meaningful transition as T'tawaxt Birth Justice Center moved from Campbell Farm into its own permanent location. We've appreciated being part of their journey and are excited for what this next chapter means for their organization and the families they serve. Having a permanent space of their own will allow them to continue growing their work and expanding the ways they support our community.
As we head into the colder months, we're looking forward to continuing our work with families, strengthening partnerships, and preparing the farm for what comes next. Things may change from season to season, but the heart of Campbell Farm remains the same: creating space for connection, belonging, and community.
To the volunteers, donors, churches, partners, and neighbors who continue to show up for Campbell Farm and one another, thank you. Whether you've shared resources, given your time, supported a program, or simply spread the word, you are part of what makes this work possible.
We're grateful to be part of this community and look forward to all that we'll continue building together.
Want to be part of what's growing at Campbell Farm? There are many ways to get involved, from volunteering and sharing resources to supporting our programs and community work. We'd love to connect with you!
With gratitude,
The Campbell Farm Team
