SPOKANE, Wash. — Bright purple lights guide visitors to a unique addition at Northtown Mall this holiday season: a Community Care Kiosk that represents one mother’s transformation of devastating loss into community action.
The kiosk operates under Gabriel’s Challenge, a coalition founded by Kitara Johnson-Jones after losing her son Gabriel to fentanyl in March. The coalition’s new space at the mall is designed to connect people with vital community resources.
“I feel like this is his legacy,” Johnson-Jones said about the kiosk that brings her son’s vision to life.
Gabriel shared a dream with his mother before his death: creating a community where people work together so no one falls through the cracks. That conversation became the foundation for Gabriel’s Challenge, which launched this summer.
“This moment of immense loss, you know, and pain has now turned into a community movement,” Johnson-Jones explained.
The kiosk functions as both an administrative office and a self-service resource center. Community members can access help through a tablet system that requires only basic information to provide personalized resources based on their location. Volunteers will also be available to help connect people with services in the community.
“It’s important because sometimes you don’t know where to start. And this space is designed to change that,” Johnson-Jones said..
The grand opening of the center is next week, but Johnson Jones said she has already spent many hours connecting with people stopping by.
“Our community is affected by fentanyl from numerous ways, whether it’s, you know, the first time you choose to use to, child or being exposed in some way. So this, is our solution,” she said.
The timing carries particular significance as Johnson-Jones faces her first major holiday season without Gabriel. The mix of grief and purpose creates complex emotions, but seeing her son’s community vision materialize also brings a sense of joy.
“If he could see this right now, he would be extremely proud,” Johnson-Jones reflected.
The grand opening for the space is on December 2nd.
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