Our History
In 1946, under the Seattle Diocese, the first St. Vincent de Paul Salvage Bureau opened in Yakima. A second Bureau opened in Sunnyside in 1948. When Yakima became a Diocese in 1951, all property, stock, trucks and other assets were transferred from the Seattle Diocese.
In 1955, the Ellensburg Salvage Bureau opened as a parish project. In 1957 Moses Lake opened a store, followed by another store in Wenatchee in 1958. That same year the Salvage Bureau operations were placed under the supervision of Catholic Charities for the first time. In 1960, the Salvage Bureaus became known nationally as “stores”, and supervision was turned over to the St. Vincent de Paul Council.
In 1964, Bishop Dougherty saw the need for a larger facility and the new Yakima (Union Gap) store opened. The Union Gap Fire Department then burned the old location in a training exercise.
Catholic Charities was again asked to oversee the stores in 1970. In 1972, Toppenish added a store. Kennewick joined in 1975. In 1976, the Union Gap store began providing social services through a part-time social worker.
Current stores are located in Ellensburg, Union Gap, Sunnyside and Kennewick.
