About Us

APOYO means “support” in Spanish. It also stands for “Allied People Offering Year-Round Outreach.” APOYO has been at work since the mid-1990s, when Philip Garrison and friends from the Mexican immigrant community began giving out Northwest Harvest food from the back of a pickup truck. We began operating on Central Washington University’s campus in 1998, incorporated in 1999, and became a tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in 2000.

Food Pantry

We have always been a food pantry where everyone is welcome. We collect no personal data, and we do not turn anyone away. APOYO has served food in Kittitas County since the mid-1990s and has had a pantry location in Ellensburg since 1998. We now deliver to pick up points in Grant County. With assistance from WSDA, Arcora Foundation, City of Mattawa, Wahluke School District, Grant County Health District, Wellpoint, Molina Healthcare, Community Health Plan of Washington, and Coordinated Care we are able to deliver food and host food distribution events throughout Grant County.

Much of the food we distribute comes from Northwest Harvest, a regional organization founded in the 1960s. We receive some funding for our food pantry operations from the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Food Assistance Program. At this time, until June of 2025, we also have funds to buy food from local producers and vendors as a WSDA We Feed WA grantee. We are always looking for other sources of food. For more on donating food to APOYO, please see or Food and Nutrition page.

Education and Wellness

Working with public health partners, we offer vaccine clinics and health screenings. We also offer educational presentations on topics from women’s health to college preparation. Our programming, from Amigos Atléticos, APOYO’s sports and fitness program for school kids, to Amigas en Acción, our women’s exercise club, and Aventureros for kids and families, promotes community-based wellness. We welcome opportunities to work with other organizations and agencies to organize education and wellness programming. Please contact us!

¡Youth Empowerment!

APOYO began offering programming for youth in 2022. Funded by grants from the Kittitas County Public Health Department, the City of Ellensburg, and the Yakima Valley Community Foundation, Amigos Atléticos was our sports and fitness program for school kids. In 2024, APOYO received funding from the Inatai Foundation to develop IMPACTO, our youth empowerment program for people ages 15 to 25. APOYO is working with CWU faculty, student government, MEChA, young professionals, and community organizers to create a transformative educational experience for youth in our community and schools. Our new program, Aventureros, gets kids and families outdoors to learn and enjoy.

Outreach Center

This is an exciting and challenging time for APOYO. We need a new home to continue serving our communities, building on more than 25 years of offering resources, services, and community connection.

The APOYO Community Outreach Center will empower members to support one another, providing food and other material support, offering and receiving education through classes and workshops on topics relevant to the community, and hosting multicultural social activities.

A generous donor has pledged a contribution to help establish the center. The Inatai Foundation is also supporting APOYO’s transition.

We must make our transition off campus by October 31, 2026. We have a long way to go to raise the funds we need to complete the project. Community support will ensure APOYO’s success. If you are interested in helping with our fundraising efforts, please contact APOYO Executive Director Stefanie Wickstrom to learn more.

Our supporters include

Donate to APOYO:

APOYO is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN is 91-1970470.

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Annual Reports