Center for Growth and Empowerment

10/30/2025

We're grateful that our founder and ED, Hallie Burchinal, had the opportunity to share The Power of Affirming Care in SUD Recovery, sponsored by the Northwest ATTC and Washington Recovery Alliance.

We had 70 attendees join us, showing just how many of us are committed to building recovery spaces where everyone feels seen, respected, and safe to heal.

Thank you to everyone who attended, participated in the chat, and helped make the conversation so meaningful.

If you weren’t able to join live, you can watch the full recording here:
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZZkxgdGwng

Affirming care isn’t just inclusion, it’s compassion, courage, and love in action. 💛

Affirming care is more than a value—it is a vital practice that directly impacts recovery outcomes for people with substance use disorders. This presentation...

10/28/2025

Big news, Spokane!

The Center for Growth and Empowerment is now officially licensed by the Washington State Department of Health as a Behavioral Health Agency.

This milestone brings us one step closer to opening our doors and offering affirming, inclusive recovery care right here in our community.

As we prepare for launch, the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, A Charitable Foundation is helping us build the foundation, matching every donation up to $10,000 through December 15.

💛 Your gift today will be doubled to support healing, recovery, and connection in Spokane.

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/startup.aspx?eventid=392120

10/24/2025

This month, we bow our heads in gratitude for the generations who came before us. We honor those who risked everything to live in truth, who marched, who created art, who whispered (and sometimes shouted) words of love into a world that often refused to listen.

Their courage carved pathways through fear. Their resilience made space for our joy.

Because of them, we can gather in community. Because of them, we can speak our truth.

And yet, our work continues, to build a future where every 2SLGBTQ+ person feels safe, celebrated, and seen in their wholeness.

We carry this truth close: healing is connection. Each time we show up for one another, we honor the generations who fought for our right to do so.

To our community: the dreamers, survivors, caregivers, and creators, thank you for continuing the story.

10/11/2025

Winter Market: 2SLGBTQ+ Artist & Makers Fair

Join us for a joyful, affirming celebration of creativity and connection!

This cozy winter market will feature local 2SLGBTQ+ artists and makers sharing handmade art, prints, jewelry, crafts, gifts, and more — just in time for the holiday season.

Saturday, November 22, 2025
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Community Building Lobby, next to Kizuri | 35 W Main St, Spokane

Calling all 2SLGBTQ+ artists and makers!
We’d love to showcase your work — apply to be a vendor and share your creativity with our community.
👉 Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXb_5RMFdv8HgS7H63GpktT8XMbCF5OpUGZLJSOvbgVhhSUg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108912236279040172730

💜 Free admission | Family-friendly | Alcohol-free | All are welcome

Hosted by the Center for Growth and Empowerment (CGE), with heartfelt thanks to to Better Health Together for supporting this community market and celebration, Kizuri Spokane for welcoming us in, and Community Building/Saranac for providing space.

Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BKRgh6Fte/

Let’s come together to celebrate 2SLGBTQ+ creativity, community, and connection this winter. 🌈

10/07/2025

Our founder, Hallie Burchinal, is leading a webinar session on meaningful ways you can provide affirming care within treatment settings. Please join us if you’d like to learn more.

Creating treatment environments that are inclusive, culturally responsive, and identity-affirming isn’t just good practice – it directly impacts recovery outcomes.

This upcoming webinar will explore how addiction professionals can build spaces where people feel truly seen and supported in their recovery journeys. Participants will gain practical strategies to strengthen engagement, retention, and healing in substance use disorder services.

Learning highlights include:
• Defining affirming care and its role in recovery
• Key principles that can be applied in treatment and peer support settings
• Practical ways to make services more inclusive and supportive for diverse clients

The session will be led by Hallie Burchinal, founder and Executive Director of the Center for Growth and Empowerment (CGE) in Spokane, whose decade of leadership in the SUD field has centered dignity, belonging, and community.

Webinar: The Power of Affirming Care in SUD Recovery
Sponsored by Northwest ATTC and the Washington Recovery Alliance (WRA)
Hosted by Northwest ATTC

For more information and to register, visit:
https://attcnetwork.org/event/the-power-of-affirming-care-in-sud-recovery-webinar/

09/01/2025

At CGE, we believe that every LGBTQ+ person deserves to be celebrated. Healing begins when we are seen, affirmed, and uplifted in community. 🌈

This week, we spotlight the strength of our LGBTQ+ community here in Spokane. Your resilience, your creativity, your joy — these are the foundations of Rainbow Recovery.

👉 Tag someone who inspires you in recovery or in life — and remind them: You Belong Here.

08/31/2025

As we close out the week, we’re reflecting on the heart of our mission: creating a safe, affirming recovery space for LGBTQ+ youth and adults. Part of recovery is about embracing your authentic self, and at CGE we believe healing happens when we belong, together. 💜🌈

This week we're saying it loud and proud: You Belong Here.

Next week, we’ll continue sharing why LGBTQ+ recovery spaces matter — because every person deserves a place to heal, grow, and thrive. 🌱

08/30/2025

Center for Growth and Empowerment stands with our transgender community.

Scapegoating is never acceptable. Spokane Pride stands in solidarity with our transgender community.

If you or someone you know is facing transphobic harassment or need someone to talk to, please refer to the resources listed in the graphic or visit Igbtq.wa.gov/resources/county/Spokane.

🏳️‍⚧️💕

08/24/2025

Today would've been Marsha P. Johnson's 80th birthday. She spent her life advocating for LGBTQ people, youth experiencing homelessness, and people living with HIV.

Artist Osaze Akil honored Marsha with this panel as part of our historic Freedom to Be quilt on the National Mall earlier this year.

08/23/2025

Garland Pride was a wonderful evening! We had one beautiful conversation after another and the folxs stepping up to the open mic stage…. AMAZING!!! This is what community feels like.

08/14/2025

Come use our fun photo backdrop at Garland Pride to commemorate your day! We'll have gorgeous art and stickers by Transpainter available to purchase to raise funds to support us in founding and stepping into our work for our community.

The evening is going to be FUN! So many stages are set up and great booths to browse!!!