Tri-Citians find support and even success from unexpected places in 2020

It’s been a year like no other.

And despite the overwhelming struggles of so many Tri-Citians, others found support and even successes from unexpected places.

We checked back with two we profiled in 2020 to see how they are faring.

Grace Kitchen

Devin and Amanda Lorraine didn’t know what 2020 would have in store when they finalized the purchase of the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission’s former men’s shelter in mid-March.

The building was to house Grace Kitchen, a nonprofit the couple began to help train women in poverty to become self-sufficient.

But plans for much-needed renovations of the historic downtown Pasco building came to a halt with the coronavirus pandemic.

“All of the volunteer work stopped when COVID hit,” said Amanda Lorraine.

Then came a saving hand from an unlikely place.

A chance meeting in the lobby of The Lodge at Columbia Point led to a partnership between the luxury hotel and the charity that allowed building renovations to resume and The Lodge employees to stay on payroll.

The work that hotel employees completed combined with an outpouring of community support made it possible for the kitchen to open its doors after all.

“It’s been amazing in 2020 to see all that has happened in the midst of the pandemic,” Amanda Lorraine told the Herald.

The couple has already seen the community demand for a nonprofit like Grace Kitchen. On the day they opened, the building reached capacity with women looking for work.

“I didn’t expect to have that many ladies the first day but with COVID, it’s really needed,” she said. “There’s a lot of ladies who need jobs, who need work, who need a second chance.”

Grace Kitchen has already started making custom spice rubs that Tri-Citians can buy in local stores like Griggs, Ranch and Home, Once Upon a Brew and Malley’s Compounding Pharmacy.

And in the new year, the nonprofit will be producing gourmet pastas.

“Doors have just blown open for Grace Kitchen over and over again with the help of our community,” she said.

The couple still has some outlying concerns they want to address in the new year. They are still waiting on city approval to use all of the space in their building and are in need of an HVAC system before summer.

“There’s been some little setbacks here and there but overall, we’ve been able to overcome everything,” Devin said.

Health and faith

Dr. Salaam Sallaam, a pediatric cardiologist at the Seattle Children’s Tri-Cities Clinic in Richland, admits it’s been a tough year for everyone.

Like many front-line medical workers, his worries have been for patients and family.

“It’s great to be there for my patients but at the same time, I worry about contracting the virus and passing it on to my family,” he told the Herald in May.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Sallaam was particularly concerned for his newest family member — his youngest daughter, Talia, born in early March.

But by being vigilant and taking all necessary precautions to not contract the virus, Sallaam says he, his family and patients have been blessed with good health.

With the new coronavirus vaccine rolling out across the country, Sallaam says he’s hopeful. He received his own vaccination at Kadlec earlier this week.

“I think we have to keep trying hard to convince the population across the United States to follow guidelines and take the vaccine so we can get the virus under control and go back to normal life,” he said.

And until then, he will continue to worship online through the Islamic Center of Tri-Cities, which closed its doors to congregants in early March.

In addition to worship, the Muslim community has continued its community outreach and recently received grants to fund more youth activities and mental health support.

As for upcoming events in the new year, Sallaam says only time will tell how they will be able to celebrate.

“We will see if this Ramadan will be virtual or if we can do prayer in person at the center,” he said.