Community center run by South Sound nonprofit closes at Evergreen Villages

A nonprofit-run community center on Olympia’s west side closed Monday, ending 18 years of providing after-school and other services.

The community center, which was run by the longtime South Sound nonprofit Together, was based at Evergreen Villages, an affordable-housing complex at 505 Division St. NW.

The community center provided services to children and families at the apartments, but also was open to children who lived elsewhere in the neighborhood. The average annual household income at Evergreen Villages is less than $11,000, according to a Together news release.

Partner organizations included the Community Action Council, which helped those who qualify with heating fees, and the Thurston County Food Bank, which operated a satellite location at Evergreen Villages, said Meagan Darrow, deputy director of Together.

Community Action Council Chief Executive John Walsh said they will continue to offer energy assistance services, although he acknowledged that the community center helped in those efforts.

“It’s a bit of a challenge, but it’s not an insurmountable one,” said Walsh about not having the center.

Thurston County Food Bank Executive Director Robert Coit could not be immediately reached.

The community center apparently closed due to a recent change in property management companies at the apartment complex. A California company called EPMI used to manage the property, but now it’s managed by another California company, FPI Management.

Several attempts to reach FPI in Folsom, California, were unsuccessful.

Together Executive Director Meghan Sullivan said they learned in mid- to late February that FPI wanted to take the property in a different direction, including a planned renovation of the space. That meant a quick turnaround for the nonprofit, which needed to move out by the end of the month. The last day was Feb. 29.

“We’re still committed to kids,” Sullivan said, adding the nonprofit is in discussions with the property management company and its social service partners about providing services in the future. “Just being in talks with a lot of partners is hopeful.”

The closing of community centers has been an unfortunate trend for the nonprofit, Deputy Director Darrow said.

“At one time we had several,” she said, “but one by one they closed because of ownership changes, problems with the property, or renovations.”

Together has operated in Thurston County for 26 years, focusing on the health, safety and success of area youths and families.

This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 9:39 PM with the headline "Community center run by South Sound nonprofit closes at Evergreen Villages."