ECCA builds community and strengthens our social fabric by recruiting volunteers to beautify public spaces, assist members of the community with basic needs, and support students and teachers. We also nurture our collective sense of belonging through art and cultural projects.
Telling our stories
The East County Voices audio project
In March 2024, we launched East County Voices, an audio story project that seeks to gather and preserve diverse stories from East County. These stories are told in the form of interviews between any two people who know each other — family members, friends, colleagues, teachers and students, or any two people who have been important to each other in some way. We’re signing up pairs of storytellers now; learn more here.
Supporting our local youth
Mentoring for academic success
The wellbeing and success of our young people matters for our collective future. That’s why we’ve worked with Washougal High School to develop the Community-School Partnership, which pairs trained community members with students in need to academic support. The program has completed two full years, and students and teachers say it’s working: three-quarters of the student mentees we surveyed say they understand their classroom material better and have improved their grades. We need your help in this program, especially if you speak Spanish or have expertise in math or the hard sciences. To become as mentor, contact us here.
Beautifying our communities
SR-14 trash cleanup
To help preserve our natural heritage, ECCA trash cleanup teams clear litter and debris off scenic Highway 14 in Washougal and Camas. Since 2022, our cleanup crews have removed tens of thousands of pounds of trash and debris. We also advocate with city and state policymakers to reduce the volume of trash that ends up out there in the first place. We invite you to join us in this work.
Highway wildflowers
In fall 2023, we planted large plots of native wildflowers on the north side of SR-14 between the two Washougal rotaries. This summer we began preparing two more for planting in November. While this can be hard work, it’s also rewarding, and what we’re learning is already helping other groups plan their own roadside pollinator gardens. Find out how to get involved by emailing us at eastcountycitizens@gmail.com.
Community art
When a group of residents come together to create public art, a certain kind of magic happens. Our first collaborative art project — a wraparound mural on the bathroom building in Hamllik Park — just wrapped up this summer. Dozens of neighborhood and community residents engaged in both planning and painting the mural. Will there be more? Yes, we hope so! Email us and let’s talk about your vision and how you’d like to be involved: eastcountycitizens@gmail.com.
Supporting the basic needs of our neighbors
Serving meals at ReFuel
UPDATE: OUR NOV. 22 MEAL IS FULLY STAFFED. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR OUR NEXT DATES. ECCA cares for the needs of community members by supporting food projects. One of the ways we do this by organizing and leading regular dinner services at ReFuel Washougal, which serves elderly and disabled people and individuals experiencing homelessness. In December 2023, we began collaborating with advanced culinary arts students at Washougal High School do some of the cooking, which has created a whole new layer of fun and learning.
We are actively recruit for these projects! Choose whatever interests you, and help just once or many times. For more information about anything ECCA does, or to propose we consider organizing something you don’t see here, email us.