(VANCOUVER, Wash.) — The Vancouver council accepted a $564,000 grant from the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund to fund outreach programs in Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Orchards, and other parts of Clark County. Three important proclamations were made.
The Vancouver City Council meeting on September 14, 2026, began with a focus on community proclamations before accepting the grant.
Three important proclamations were made: National Preparedness Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.
Anne McEnerny-Ogle began by reading the proclamation for National Preparedness Month, saying that the city of Vancouver recognizes that the record-breaking heat, severe winter storms, and wildfires demonstrate the city’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
She spoke of Vancouver’s commitment to building community resilience in the face of these threats.
Next, the mayor proclaimed Hispanic Heritage Month, acknowledging the contributions Hispanic people have made to Washington’s economy, ranging in fields from professional and business services to education, health, and many more.
Photo Credit: CVTV
Kimberly Quiroz, the Senior Business Developer for the Hispanic Metro Chamber accepted the proclamation. She spoke of the honor it is to support Hispanic entrepreneurs as they start and expand their businesses in Vancouver.
“I've watched people turn ideas into businesses, businesses into jobs, and hard work into opportunities for their families. The 2025 Latino GDP report confirms what we see every day. Latinos are driving America's growth at a $4.4 trillion. The Latino economy would be the fifth largest economy in the world if it was its own country. Behind the numbers are real people, parents building businesses, families creating jobs, and entrepreneurs investing in their communities,” Quiroz said.
Finally, the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims was proclaimed for September 25, 2026, as a day to honor the memory of those whose lives have been taken by violence and recognize the enduring grief and resilience of their loved ones left behind.
The council approved the acceptance of a $564,000 grant from the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund for the expansion of the Homeless Assistance and Resources Team (HART) outreach services into Clark County, aiming for a consistent regional response to homelessness.
Homeless Response Manager Jamie Spinelli spoke to the council about how the funding would be used.
Photo Credit: CVTV
“This grant is really to kind of help us a little further along with our efforts to coordinate in a more regional way versus just within the city. Homelessness really knows no bounds. For right now, we’re keeping it within Clark County,” Spinelli said.
Spinelli went on to explain that the grant would allow for the hiring of some outreach workers that can move into the county outside Vancouver city limits. This will create consistency, meaning that people can remain where they are and better stabilize in their situation.
“Within the city, we’ve worked hard to ensure that we’ve got a very consistent response, so people don’t have to move so much; they can stay where they are to stabilize and then move into shelter or housing,” Spinelli said. “Really the goal is to ensure that we've got a very similar or same response county-wide. So that sort of lack of coordination or just kind of small differences in responses don't become a barrier to stabilization and accessing services.”
OpGov.News has reached out to the council for further comment on this new initiative.
If you would like to comment on this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
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