A 501(c)(3) in Spokane
An extra pair of hands, next door.
Porchlight matches volunteers with older neighbors who need a hand — mowing, walking the dog, carrying groceries, sitting on the porch. Community service that actually shows up.
Run by Heather Raya · (509) 900-9981 · HeatherRaya@proton.me
1,240
Hours given this year
186
Neighbors helped
420
Active volunteers
6
Neighborhoods
How it works
We hold the list. You bring the hour.
01
Someone asks
A neighbor, a son across the country, or the person who needs the help writes in. We keep it simple: what, where, when.
02
We match nearby
A screened volunteer in that neighborhood takes the shift. First names only. No one is sent inside a house alone.
03
They show up
The lawn gets cut. The dog gets a loop. The tablet finally rings Seattle. Community service that lands on a Tuesday.
Ways we help
The small things that make a week easier.
Yard work
Mowing, raking, weeding, snow on the walk.
Dog walking
A loop around the block for a dog who needs one.
Errands
Groceries, pharmacy runs, packages off the porch.
Around the house
Light chores, changing a bulb, taking out bins.
Company
Cards on the porch, a weekly check-in, a walk at their pace.
Tech help
Phones, tablets, video calls with family.
Heather's desk
Sheets you can keep current.
Commute services
Who needs a ride, where, and who is driving. Download as a spreadsheet anytime.
Housing
People who need a room, an apartment, a repair, or a place for tonight.
Hours & signatures
Your hours record, tied to your account. Neighbors sign each shift. You sign the bottom. Heather certifies it.
From the block
Not heroes. Neighbors with an extra hour.
Coco still waits by the door at 8:30. Maya does the loop Mr. Chen cannot, then sits on the step for five minutes so he can hear how the beagle behaved.
Three juniors from Lewis and Clark raked a South Hill yard for service hours and stayed for lemonade. Mrs. Alvarez said it was the first Saturday she had not worried about the leaves.
The tablet had been in a box for a month. A volunteer sat on the porch, went slow, and that night the grandkids in Seattle were on the screen.
Stay in the yard
Volunteers do not go inside unless a family member is home. No money, no medications, no driving without a separate agreement.
Service hours, signed
School, clubs, and court-ordered community service. Bring your form; we log the shift after you show up.
Sixteen and up
Under eighteen, come with an adult. We will find a shift that fits — a rake crew is a good first one.
Leave the light on for a neighbor.
If you have an hour, take a shift. If you need one, ask. Spokane is full of both. Heather answers the phone.