Yakima Valley Needs 75+ Volunteers to Help Neighbors Thrive

The article lists volunteer opportunities in Yakima Valley, Washington, including:
- Repair Cafe Yakima: volunteers repair everyday items for free
- Sunrise Outreach: feeding families, distributing 197,543 pounds of food monthly
- Northwest Harvest: repackaging and dispensing food
- SHIBA program: helping seniors with Medicare/health insurance
- Senior Services: helping seniors stay in homes
- Pegasus Project: therapeutic riding for people with special needs (75+ volunteers needed)
- Meals on Wheels: delivering meals to homebound seniors
- Yakima Neighborhood Health: "The Space" for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-23
- Habitat for Humanity: store operations and home building

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TITLE: Yakima Valley Needs 75+ Volunteers to Help Neighbors Thrive

SUMMARY: Yakima County organizations are calling for volunteers to repair broken items, feed hungry families, and help seniors age with dignity at home. From therapeutic horseback riding to free appliance repair, everyday people are stepping up to transform their community.

CONTENT:

Volunteers across Yakima Valley are quietly building a safety net that's keeping families fed, seniors independent, and neighbors connected.

At Repair Cafe Yakima, skilled volunteers gather on the third Saturday of each month to fix broken appliances, electronics, bicycles, and furniture completely free. Instead of filling landfills, community members bring their broken toasters and torn clothing to the Yakima Maker Space, where volunteers breathe new life into everyday items.

Sunrise Outreach is tackling hunger on a massive scale, distributing nearly 200,000 pounds of food every single month across six Yakima Valley communities. Volunteers stock food pantries, assemble sandwiches for people experiencing homelessness, and deliver groceries to families who need them most.

The Pegasus Project brings joy and healing through horses, offering therapeutic riding to people with physical and emotional challenges. The nonprofit needs more than 75 volunteers each week to serve as side walkers and horse leaders during lessons that run Monday through Thursday.

Catholic Charities Senior Services helps older adults stay in their homes by connecting them with volunteers who provide rides, deliver groceries, perform household repairs, and offer companionship. Some volunteers even qualify for small stipends and mileage reimbursement while serving.

Meals on Wheels relies entirely on volunteer drivers to deliver seven days of frozen nutritious meals to homebound seniors. Beyond meal delivery, volunteers are needed in dining rooms, kitchens, and warehouses to prepare and package food.

The Ripple Effect

These volunteer programs create something more valuable than services. They build relationships that remind isolated seniors they matter, give struggling families hope during tough times, and show young people that their community cares about their wellbeing.

The Space, run by Yakima Neighborhood Health, provides a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 23, open weekday afternoons. Habitat for Humanity's store turns donated items into affordable housing funds while welcoming volunteers of all ages to construction teams and special projects.

No special skills required for most positions, and many organizations provide comprehensive training.