SPOKANE, Wash. – United Way of Spokane County is shutting down after more than 100 years of service, leaving local organizations to navigate the impact. The board president, Lisa Sunderman, who stepped into her role on July 1, attributed the decision to a combination of economic challenges.
“The decision reflects the combined impact of economic challenges affecting campaigns, donor giving and grant support and an unexpected leadership transition,” Sunderman stated. This information was confirmed by the Spokesman Review.
One organization feeling the effects is the Girl Scouts of Spokane. Brian Newberry, CEO of the Girl Scouts in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, reflected on United Way’s influence. “Both in Leadership Spokane as well as Girl Scouts, United Way has uplifted our organization,” he said. “I just celebrate all the people that I’ve known for the last 12 years who just really step forward, step up to make our community a better place and United Way was the vanguard for doing that. We’ll miss them.”
Newberry, who has been with the Girl Scouts for seven years, noted that while they saw a decrease in funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, the speed of United Way’s closure was unexpected. He also expressed concern for other nonprofits in the area and their ability to remain operational in the future.
The closure of United Way signifies a significant change for many organizations that have relied on its support to foster leadership and community growth. Local nonprofits are now tasked with finding alternative ways to sustain their missions.
