What We Do
Washington Gorge Action Programs is the 'Community Action Agency' for Klickitat and Skamania Counties. We are a multi-purpose human services organization dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities address basic human needs.
Each year, thousands of people turn to WAGAP for short-term assistance and long-term solutions to help them take control of their lives and their futures.
Programs offering Nutrition Assistance, Emergency Housing, Domestic Violence Prevention, Care Coordination, Home Energy Assistance and much more assure that WAGAP is meeting the promise of Community Action.
Our Mission
Strengthening community by inspiring hope and helping people help themselves.
Our Goals
Reduce the negative impact of poverty on individuals, families, and communities.
Foster individual and family self-sufficiency, health, and well-being.
Advocate for economic and social justice in our communities.
Diminish violence through community education, advocacy, and social change.
Reduce hunger and malnutrition and promote food security.
I am so proud of our Agency and our Community. You embrace the work that we do. Community Action can be hard to see– sometimes it’s hard to know if our work is truly having an impact.
However, I don’t have to look far for proof. I see hope in the face of the single mother after receiving a gas voucher to get to work. I see relief in the face of the elderly gentleman who just got word that he qualified for Energy Assistance and doesn’t have to worry about his electricity getting shut off in the cold winter months. I see joy in the face of the kid at the Youth Center who got to eat a warm dinner with friends. And, I see determination in the faces of my staff who come to work each day.
These faces keep me going and remind me why we do the work that we do.
We are making a difference.
Leslie Naramore, WAGAP Executive Director
STRATEGIC PLAN 2022-2027
In June 2022, Washington Gorge Action Programs staff and the Board of Directors came together for a day of planning and discussion on what the next five years of our Agency would look like. During that session, several goals emerged:
Become a community leader in equity by focusing on equity for the whole agency and community.
To support the mission of WAGAP, continue building strong, equitable partnerships with a variety of community organizations.
To address the needs of low income working parents, develop childcare options throughout the two-county area.
To increase opportunities for more affordable housing, work with housing partners, and advocate broadly.
Diversify funding streams to enhance the future sustainability of WAGAP.
Together with our staff, board, volunteers, and partners, we will continue to focus on addressing a reduction in poverty, revitalizing low-income communities, and empowering people with low income levels to become more self-sufficient.
It’s what we do: Helping People. Changing Lives.
Click HERE for the strategic plan.
Annual Report 2021
Every year, we produce an Annual Report to let our funders, donors, partners, and clients know how successfully WAGAP has been helping people who are struggling. You’ll see in this year’s Annual Report that in 2021, WAGAP served the greatest number of clients ever. When our communities needed us, we stepped up for them in a big way. We couldn’t do any of this work without you. Thank you for supporting us, thank you for supporting your community, and thank you for continuing to help us help people and change lives.
Click HERE for the full report.
Community Needs Assessment 2020
WAGAP has done Community Needs Assessments in our area for many years. We’ve seen a pattern in the conditions of poverty, as the problems that cause people to struggle are repeated across the decades. The underlying causes of poverty in our region are multi pronged, but they are much the same as they were in 1964 at the beginning of our Community Action story.
We hope this assessment will help you understand the dynamics of our two county service area and we hope it will inspire you to become involved. WAGAP would not exist without the partnerships we have forged, the community who supports us, and the countless people who volunteer their time, money, and resources. Together we strengthen our community, and together the work continues…
Click HERE for the full report.
Achievements we’re extra proud of
AQUAPONICS PROJECT
After more than two years, the hydroponic vertical grow walls at the Bingen Food Bank are about to undergo some exciting changes… Read More
Fruta Del Fuego
A film by Bruce Bradbury in collaboration with Story Gorge LLC
On October 18, 2017, the Underwood Fruit Company pear packing plant in Bingen, WA caught fire, causing over 200 employees to lose their jobs. WAGAP, the primary resource of support services for workers and their families, was able to use funds raised by community members to pay utilities, rent, medical bills and other household needs.