Dear Friends,

This fall has been a busy time for Faith Action Network in Eastern WA. We had great conversations with students and ecumenical partners at Whitworth’s Ministry Fair, learned how to advocate at the federal level, and met with our federal elected officials for our region to urge them to fight for a budget that protects the vulnerable. Now, the weather is getting colder, and the trees are starting to drop their leaves; that ever-so-short, but so beautiful, Inland Northwest fall season feels like it is actually upon us. Today, November 4, is also the last day to get in your ballot. While they receive much less attention, local elections have a big impact on our everyday life and our communities—everything from our schools to our roads. Make sure to drop off your ballot in a ballot drop box by 8 pm tonight.

We are a little under two weeks away from our Annual Dinner fundraiser “A Night of Unbreakable Spirit” on Sunday evening, November 16, at Gonzaga’s Hemmingson Center, 702 E Desmet. Registration closes on November 10, so if you haven’t yet, be sure to purchase your tickets while seats are still available.

The Annual Dinner is one of my favorite events of the year because we come together regionally and across the state to connect with one another, celebrate what we’ve accomplished together, and sustain our movement. This year, in light of SNAP benefits being suspended beginning November 1, we are adding a food drive component to the annual dinner. We encourage our guests to bring non-perishable, shelf-stable food items, including pet food, for collection at dinner, and FAN will transport them to Our Place Community Outreach after the dinner. Read on further in the newsletter to learn more ways you can support our hungry and food-insecure neighbors during this time.

I am encouraged to work with so many people of faith and conscience who have been advocating for a more just and compassionate world for years, some of them longer than I've been alive. These last few months have felt long and dark, but I know that our sense of right, our moral obligations, and our faith traditions provide the wells we need to continue speaking out and standing up.

In community and solidarity,

Brianna Dilts

Eastern Washington Regional Organizer

Faith Action Network

We hope you can join us for our Annual Dinner fundraiser. This is FAN's only fundraiser of the year, and the funds raised help sustain our work year-round. We will be having simultaneous gatherings in Spokane and Seattle, a watch party in Wenatchee, and a livestream for those who can't make it in person.

Our Spokane gathering will be at Gonzaga's Hemmingson Center South Ballroom (702 E Desmet Ave.) on November 16, doors open at 4:30 pm. This year, we are thrilled to have Congresswoman Jayapal as our keynote speaker and music from the Tacoma Refugee Choir, in addition to local speakers who will share why they support FAN. We are thankful to our Spokane sponsor, the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane! You can still sponsor and purchase tickets until November 10.

As white Christian nationalism and fascism are increasing in their reach and power, we must ensure that we can continue the increasingly important work of providing a strong multifaith presence centered in the dignity and equal worth of each human being, the protection and safety of all members of our communities, and the values of pluralism and religious diversity. 

Have you wanted to attend a protest, but feel nervous about feeling prepared? Or are you a seasoned protester who would like to brush up on best practices? All skill levels are welcome to join the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane’s virtual edition of Protest 101: A People’s Training. Our friends at PJALS have been offering this training in various settings to help equip protesters with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to protest safely, effectively, and with intention. Whether protesting is new to you or familiar, you’ll leave with practical skills and a deeper sense of your role in collective action. All are welcome, show up as you are, and leave with strategy, tools, and solidarity.

They’ll cover:

• Legal basics & personal safety
• Roles in the protest ecosystem (not just the front line!)
• Planning before, during & after
• How to share this knowledge with others

Join tonight, November 4, on Zoom (link provided after registration) from 6-7:30. Register here

Meals and food are central to many of our faith traditions. Many of us gather around a meal after service or celebrate religious holidays around a meal. Tied up in this tradition is also the moral obligation to feed the hungry. This week in Seattle, faith leaders from FAN's partner faith communities, our board members, Executive Director, and other faith leaders from different traditions came together to demand that SNAP funds be restored at a joint press conference with Representative Jayapal from Washington's 7th district. You can read about it here. As SNAP recipients go without groceries and face uncertainty on whether they will be able to afford their next meal, there are many ways that we can step up to help on an individual and community level. 

If you need food or other essentials, the Fig Tree's resource directory has a list of food resources starting on page 9. If you can donate food, money, or other essentials to these organizations, it can help them serve more people and meet the increasing needs. During food drives, sometimes, food donations don't always get to the smaller organizations.

Our Place Community Outreach in West Central is in urgent need of shelf-stable food. Right now they are completely out. See their website for details on most-needed foods and drop-off hours.

If you'd like to volunteer:

• Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR) is hosting Burritos for the People weekly on Saturdays. Sign up here.
• Our Place Community Outreach gives out food and essentials Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Sign up here.
• Second Harvest always needs volunteers to help sort food. Sign up here.

With the 2026 legislative session approaching, we want to hear from our network on what issues are most important to you and what kind of advocacy programming you’d like to see from FAN. Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey. Your responses will help us prepare our training offerings for the 2026 short legislative session and will help inform our legislative priorities. 

Please save the date for a winter regional FAN meeting on December 4 from 6-7:30 pm. This will be a time for us to gather locally for fellowship, to talk about the upcoming legislative session, and to envision what we might want to do together locally. Location and registration will be coming soon!

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