Nancy Phillips, Director of Lake City Center, joined the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene as our guest speaker on September 16, sharing how the Center supports seniors and others throughout our community.

Lake City Center has been an important Kiwanis community partner for many years. Every Wednesday, Kiwanis volunteers deliver Meals on Wheels for the Center, with Kiwanian Michelle Gonzalez coordinating our club’s Meals on Wheels volunteers.

The Center provides free meals every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, including delivery to seniors who are unable to drive or otherwise unable to reliably obtain food for themselves. All of Lake City Center’s services are provided free to its clients.

But nutrition is only part of its mission. Nancy explained that social isolation can be a serious issue for seniors, and Lake City Center offers numerous opportunities to help people remain active and connected. Programs include group meals, line dancing, tai chi and chair yoga. The Center is also beginning technology classes for seniors, including instruction on recognizing and avoiding fraud and scams.

Beginning in October, new fiber arts programs will include crocheting and spinning wheel activities. For many participants, Lake City Center has become much more than a place to attend a class or enjoy a meal—it is an encouraging community and, for some, a second home.

Nancy also shared how a recent grant from the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene helped Lake City Center purchase a new three-door refrigerator. The refrigerator is being used to store milk for the Center’s nutrition programs, making it a very tangible example of how our club’s community grants support local organizations and the people they serve.

Lake City Center also provides nutritional support for children and others in need and coordinates with assisted living and rehabilitation facilities and other service providers.

The Center will be offering a Thanksgiving meal this year and welcomes volunteers who would like to help.

Thank you, Nancy, for visiting our club—and thank you to Lake City Center for the many ways you help nourish, connect and support people in our community.

Photograph: (left to right) Nancy Phillips, Michelle Gonzalez

At our August 19, 2026 meeting, our guest speaker was Katelyn Mateo, founder of The Ripple Reset Foundation, a new organization dedicated to helping individuals and families rebuild their lives following trauma and significant hardship.

Katelyn shared that Ripple Reset grew directly out of her own life experiences. Over a period of years, she faced a series of difficult circumstances and major life disruptions, including health issues and the loss of her home to a fire. Those experiences taught her that after a crisis, people often need more than advice or short-term assistance — they need help restoring stability and rebuilding their lives. Her presentation summed up the organization’s philosophy simply: “We don’t just want to help people survive hardship. We want to help restore what hardship took from them.”

Interestingly, the idea of restoration also connects with Katelyn’s professional background. Years ago, she started a business detailing and restoring cars and boats. Through that work and her own experiences, she began to recognize a parallel: just as something damaged or neglected can be restored, people going through difficult seasons can benefit from the opportunity for a fresh start.

Ripple Reset’s goal is to provide practical, direct assistance to people experiencing significant hardship. Rather than simply providing money, the organization looks at what will actually help a person or family regain stability. That might include needed household items, transportation, emergency assistance, or connecting people with other resources such as financial advisors and counselors.

Katelyn emphasized the impact that hardship can have on children. When a family is struggling, children often experience the consequences even though they had nothing to do with creating the situation. Helping a parent regain stability or removing one major obstacle for a family can therefore have an impact that extends well beyond the immediate need — potentially changing the trajectory of a child’s life.

That idea is behind the organization’s name. One act of kindness or assistance can create a positive ripple effect: helping one person strengthens a family, which can strengthen children and ultimately the broader community. As Katelyn explained, people who experience a community showing up for them may someday become the people who show up for someone else.

The Ripple Reset Foundation has applied for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and is working to build its network of community resources and partnerships.

We thank Katelyn for sharing both her personal story and her vision for turning difficult experiences into an opportunity to help others.

Photograph: (left to right) Jeannie Nugent, Katelyn Mateo, Jill Jurvelin

On July 22, the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene welcomed Amanda Krier, Executive Director, and Nicole Hammons, Development Director, from Safe Passage as our guest speakers. We were also pleased to be joined by several members of the Kiwanis Club of Post Falls, who visited for the presentation and fellowship. Together, we learned about the breadth of services this remarkable organization provides to adults and children throughout North Idaho, while also hearing about an exciting new partnership with our club.

Safe Passage has been serving our community for nearly 50 years, providing free and confidential support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse. While many people associate the organization primarily with its emergency shelter, members learned that Safe Passage offers a comprehensive network of services that includes a 24-hour crisis helpline, hospital response, court advocacy, counseling, housing assistance, prevention education, and a Children’s Advocacy Center. Their mission extends far beyond helping people escape immediate danger—they work to help survivors build safe, stable, and independent lives.

The numbers tell the story of the tremendous need that exists in our community. Each year, Safe Passage serves approximately 1,300 to 1,500 individuals and provides nearly 7,000 consultations. Their advocates respond to roughly 100 to 150 hospital sexual assault cases annually, while their emergency shelter offers a safe haven for individuals and families in crisis. As Amanda emphasized, immediate safety is always the first priority, but helping survivors achieve long-term stability and healing is the ultimate goal.

Members also enjoyed hearing about Lucy, Safe Passage’s certified facility dog. Since joining the Children’s Advocacy Center in 2022, Lucy has provided comfort and emotional support to children during forensic interviews and court proceedings, helping young victims feel safe during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Lucy has become an important part of Safe Passage’s trauma-informed approach to caring for children.

One of the most exciting announcements was a new project centered around Lucy. Safe Passage is developing a children’s book titled The Hero and the Helper, featuring Lucy as the central character. The book, along with a companion stuffed “Lucy” dog, will become a therapeutic resource to help children process trauma while also serving as a fundraising tool through online sales.

The Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene is proud to be part of this effort. Our club has funded the illustrations for The Hero and the Helper and will partner with Safe Passage to introduce the book throughout the Kiwanis family. With more than 7,600 Kiwanis clubs serving communities around the world, we hope this partnership will help bring Lucy’s story – and Safe Passage’s mission of hope, healing, and empowerment – to children and families far beyond North Idaho.

We thank Amanda and Nicole for sharing their inspiring work with our club. Safe Passage’s dedication to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community reminds us that creating a better future for children often begins by ensuring that families have the safety, support, and compassion they need today. We also wish them great success with their EnVision Gala on October 3 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort, an important fundraising event that helps make their life-changing work possible.

Photograph: (left to right) Amanda Krier, Nicole Hammons, Jeannie Nugent

On July 8, our guest speaker was Luann Cummings from Lake City Special Needs. Luann is a Special Education teacher at Lakeland High School and has devoted many years to helping students with special needs. Her compassion and commitment to these young people were evident throughout her presentation.

Luann explained that many of the students she serves face challenges that extend well beyond the classroom. Approximately 70% come from economically disadvantaged households and qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program. She also noted that ADHD is one of the most common conditions affecting the students she works with.

To help meet their everyday needs, Luann has developed a program that provides snacks and drinks for these students. While simple in nature, these items can provide comfort, encouragement, and a sense of security during the school day. The program is funded entirely through donations, and community support plays an important role in helping ensure these resources remain available to the students who need them most.

We appreciate Luann for sharing her inspiring work and for the difference she continues to make in the lives of local students.

Photograph: (left to right) Peter Matousek, Chad Krahn, Luann Cummings, Marty Behm