The Evergreen Goodwill will host its second Caravan of Care community event of the year on June 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The outdoor resource fair will provide a range of free services, from medical and housing support to educational programs, through Goodwill's 21 nonprofit partners. The resource fair's booths and mobile vehicles will be staged in the parking lot at 700 Dearborn Pl. S.
Medical, dental, and vision services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis for community members or those in the neighborhood who stop by. The Washington State Department of Health Care-A-Van, EthonoMed, King County Dental Program, Fred Hutchinson, and others will provide dental cleanings, X-rays, and flu vaccinations for infants and adults at no cost.
Israel Juarez, the center manager of the Job Training & Education Center at Evergreen Goodwill, has been with the company over 20 years. Juarez has worked with students, partners, and community resource navigators to get an understanding of what people need and how to provide them with beneficial resources.
"Instead of having our students, our community members go to other places and search and look and ask for support, why don't we bring them over here? Having all the resources that we have available in the area, having [the community] all together in one place, will make a much better impact," said Juarez.
This is the first time the event will be held outside in the parking lot; previously, it was held inside the staff cafeteria. "It [was] a bit of a hurdle because you have to know about it and come into the building," said Micha Goebig, the PR & communications strategist at Evergreen Goodwill. Having it outside increases public visibility for local shoppers.
Other resources range from transportation help, housing support, and educational programs, and services from the Rainier Valley Food Bank. Through a collaboration with Hopelink, a transportation resource will help people understand the King County transit system and provide assistance with free or low-cost enrollment for ORCA cards. Evergreen Goodwill will also provide this service outside of the event.
The 2025 Evergreen Goodwill Impact Report showed the local organization assisted 6,402 adult students whose average age was 39 and who collectively spoke over 90 different languages. Almost 80% of the students lived below the federal poverty line, and 14% were experiencing homelessness.
"People know we do classes, like English and literacy, but people need more to even be able to come to classes and succeed," said Goebig. "Lets say you are a single mother of three and you want your GED. You need health care, childcare, transportation. So that's what this team does to make it possible."
Previous Caravan of Care events occurred earlier this year and last autumn. "We would like to do this a couple times a year, maybe three times a year, depending on what the community needs," Juarez said.
On June 25, the organizers expect close to 300 to 400 participants. If time runs short for attendees, they can receive free or low-cost referrals as part of an initiative to retain care.
"We want to make sure people know that they should not feel shame for asking for support. We want to make sure they feel comfortable and they can see that they're not the only ones, we are not the only ones, there are many of us that need support," said Juarez.
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