Serve Washington announces 2025 Washington State Volunteer Service Award winners as Global Volunteer Month begins

Research shows Washingtonians volunteer more than the national average

OLYMPIA—Serve Washington, has announced the winners of its 2025 Washington State Volunteer Service Awards, recognizing exceptional individuals and groups for their unwavering commitment to volunteer service and their impact on communities throughout the state.

A total of 18 awards were given to groups and individuals who demonstrated exemplary dedication to addressing community needs through volunteerism. These awards highlight significant contributions of individuals, families, service groups and programs that uplift and strengthen communities across Washington.

The awards honor volunteer activities performed during 2024.

“Serve Washington celebrates all forms of volunteerism, whether it’s organized service through a community organization, or simply stepping up to support a neighbor in need,” said Trish Almond, executive director of Serve Washington. “Volunteerism is often a driving force of community resilience. Through these awards we honor those who embody the spirit of service, create meaningful connections and address critical issues facing our diverse communities. Their contributions are a testament to the power of service.”

The recipients of the 2025 Washington State Volunteer Service Awards are as follows:

North Central region (Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas and Grant counties)

• Group – Chelan-Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services (Chelan County)
• Individual – Dave Spies (Chelan County)

North Puget Sound region (King and Snohomish counties)

• Group – Healthy Eating & Living (King County)
• Individual – Ivan Tsepilov (King County)

Northeast region (Ferry, Stevens, Pend Orielle, Lincoln and Spokane counties)

• Group – Washington State Fallen Heroes Project (Spokane County)
• Individual – Larry Barringer (Spokane County)

Northwest region (Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan and Island counties)

• Group – Helping Hands Food Bank – Solution Center volunteers (Skagit County)
• Individual – Ethan Hunger (Whatcom County)

Peninsula/Coastal region (Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Kitsap counties)

• Group - Ian’s Ride (Clallam County)
• Individual – Pascal Schuback (Kitsap County)

South Central region (Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla and Yakima counties)

• Group – FISH Food Bank volunteers (Kittitas County)
• Individual Gretchen Sewart (Benton County)

South Puget Sound region (Mason, Thurston, Pierce and Lewis counties)

• Group – Kiwanis Club of Puyallup (Pierce County)
• Individual – Noemi Cagatin-Porter (Pierce County)

Southeast region (Adams, Whitman, Garfield, Columbia and Asotin counties)

• Group – Girl Scouts of Clarkston Service Unit (Asotin County)
• Individual – Eugine Stines (Asotin County)

Southwest region (Cowlitz, Skamania, Clark and Wahkiakum counties)

• Group - Share Meal and Nutrition programs (Clark County)
• Individual – Diya Kumar (Clark County)

The announcement coincides with Global Volunteer Month, which takes place in April and is a time to honor and celebrate volunteers worldwide while encouraging volunteerism. 

Washingtonians volunteer at higher rates than most other states, according to the latest AmeriCorps’ Volunteering and Civic Life in America research.

AmeriCorps works with the U.S. Census Bureau to collect data on volunteering and civic engagement to take a pulse on the nation’s civic health. The biennial survey looks at the rates of volunteerism through organizations, informal helping, charitable giving and other civic behaviors.

An estimated 32.8% of Washingtonians participated in formal volunteering at least once between September 2022 and September 2023, the period measured in the research. That’s higher than the national rate of 28.3%.

The research also found Americans’ volunteering rate increased by about 5 percentage points between 2021 and 2023. Again, Washington’s rate increased more than that, at nearly 8 percentage points.

For more information about the awards, visit our Washington State Volunteer Service Awards page.

Read more about each of the Washington State Volunteer Service Awards recipients on our blog. View our video announcements of the recipients on YouTube.

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Share your volunteer story! To coincide with Global Volunteer Month, which is celebrated in April, Serve Washington has launched its volunteer story blog. Anyone who volunteers, formally or informally, is invited to submit photos, stories and videos about their volunteer experiences to inspire others to serve their communities. Stories are continuously accepted. Visit our website for submission guidelines.

Find a volunteer opportunity near you! Serve Washington has an online tool you can use to search for and post volunteer opportunities. Visit our Get Connected site to get started.