Serve Wenatchee plans expanded return to downtown after flood

WENATCHEE — Months after a catastrophic flood forced Serve Wenatchee out of its longtime downtown location, the Christian homelessness prevention organization is preparing not just to return, but to grow.

Serve Wenatchee announced plans this week to move back into the Midtown Building at 12 Orondo Ave., where expanded space will allow the nonprofit to increase food distribution, improve intake services and serve more residents facing housing and financial instability.

The organization has operated from a temporary location since flood damage in October displaced staff and services.

“We were already using our space to near capacity when the flood occurred,” Executive Director Mike Malmin said. “We knew wherever we landed we would need more space to help vulnerable members of our community.”

That opportunity came when additional space became available in the Midtown Building, where Serve Wenatchee had operated for years before the flood.

According to the organization, the remodeled facility will increase its footprint by roughly 28%, with the largest expansion focused on the Fresh Hope Market food bank and additional intake space for clients seeking assistance.

Renderings released alongside the announcement show a brighter, more open facility with expanded shelving, market-style food distribution areas and updated reception spaces designed to create a more welcoming environment.

Malmin said demand for food and rental assistance has continued climbing even as the organization has worked through the disruption caused by the flood.

“We see an increasing need each year for food and rental assistance,” Malmin said. “Even with being closed for three weeks after the flood, we distributed a record amount of food last year. People at the lower end of the wage scale are having a hard time keeping up.”

Serve Wenatchee provides assistance regardless of religious affiliation, Malmin emphasized.

“While we are a Christian organization, you do not need to be a Christian to receive our services,” he said. “We are here to help anyone in need.”

The organization estimates the remodel project will cost approximately $200,000, with a fundraising campaign titled “Hope for Tomorrow” now underway to help finance the work.

Serve Wenatchee hopes to reopen in the expanded downtown space by early fall.

People interested in contributing to the campaign can visit servewenatchee.org and click on the “Hope for Tomorrow” campaign link for more information.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media