“About 165 kids -- or roughly four school busloads of children -- are seen in emergency rooms for medication-related treatment every day in the U.S.,” said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide on ashealth.org. “Every one of those trips was preventable. We can and must do better.”

Meet Jennifer Pauletto. After ten years of nonprofit service, the new associate director of Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) sees the people of the Gorge through a lens of equity

This is part two of one local woman’s path to empowerment. Patty Gallardo’s children mean the world to her. But for over two decades, her status as an undocumented immigrant left her in constant fear of deportation and being separated from her family.

Many in our communities struggle to access basic needs due to their undocumented status. Patty Gallardo was one of these community members. At eight years old, she was brought from Colima, Mexico, to Southern California by her mother, who was searching for a better life for her children. This is part one of one local woman’s path to empowerment.

Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is partnering with Mid Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) and other agencies and nonprofits to provide Emergency Cooling Shelters and relief from unhealthy air quality events for vulnerable populations during this summer’s expected extreme conditions.

Human trafficking exists in our own backyards, rand local law enforcement says it’s not going away anytime soon. In this story, local survivors of human trafficking share their stories and ask the community to take action to prevent modern day slavery in our communities.

The homeless housing team at Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) began offering Warming Shelter services for unsheltered people in Skamania and Klickitat Counties on December 13, 2021.

Opportunity brought Ubaldo Hernández to White Salmon from Mexico City. As a young man in 1994, he came looking for a chance to improve his life. He stayed for the opportunity to improve the lives of others.

The program now runs year-round. It covers all types of heating, including propane, electric, gas, oil, coal, and wood. Those using wood sources receive a vendor voucher. The vendor would request reimbursement through Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP).

Juan Reyes models service for LatinX communities to his daughters.