In the heart of Onalaska, something quietly transformative is taking place. A movement is happening that is rooted in compassion, connection, and the belief that when one person is touched by kindness, an entire community feels the ripple. Touched By One, Touched By All, a newly opened community and family resource center, has arrived on the scene with a mission that feels both urgent and deeply personal.
Founded by Lakeda Sullivan, a dual-licensed provider and former health coach, this nonprofit isn’t just another organization checking boxes. It’s a lifeline for families navigating the complexities of rural living where resources are often scattered, and support feels distant. As you step through the doors of their new facility on State Route 508, you’re entering a space designed with intention and crafted with the understanding that sometimes all it takes to change a life is a little support and a whole lot of heart.
From Military Spouse to Community Champion
The story of Touched By One, Touched By All begins not in Onalaska, but on the grounds of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). Founder Lakeda Sullivan, a military spouse and mother of three, saw a critical need among the families surrounding her.
“I founded Touched By One, Touched By All while living on Joint Base Lewis-McChord as a military spouse, originally to support military and low-income families navigating childcare gaps, deployments, relocations, and access to community-based resources,” Lakeda explains.
What began as a mobile outreach and a lifeline of diapers and resources for families in flux quickly revealed a larger truth about the landscape of need. When her husband’s service brought the family to Lewis County, Lakeda saw the same gaps, this time amplified by the challenges of rural living.
“Over time, that mission expanded as I recognized similar service gaps across rural Lewis County,” she shares.
The isolation that can be felt in more remote areas became a catalyst for action, transforming a mobile unit into a vision for a permanent, welcoming hub.
A Holistic Approach to Family Support
Today, Touched By One, Touched By All operates as a comprehensive community and family resource center that extends far beyond traditional childcare services. It’s the antidote to isolation and a place where support isn’t a drive away or a phone call to some office in another county, but right here, with a door that actually opens when you need it.
Inside, those doors lead to a welcome array of services under one roof, such as free health and wellness coaching, support for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, after-school enrichment, academic tutoring, college prep, and a co-op workspace with computers and free Wi-Fi. It’s not just a building. It’s a command center for community care.
“We wanted to create a space where families don’t have to navigate systems alone or travel for hours just to find help,” Lakeda shares. “Whether it’s a student who needs tutoring, a parent who needs someone to talk to, or a family caring for a loved one with disabilities, everyone belongs here.”
The organization’s scope reflects Sullivan’s deep understanding of what families truly need when they’re struggling. Not just a handout, not just a referral to someone else, but a place that sees the full picture.
Bridging Systems With Heart
That kind of understanding doesn’t come from a textbook. Before founding the nonprofit, Lakeda earned her bachelor’s degree in community health and programs from Tacoma Community College, then spent nine years as a health educator partnering with doctors to help individuals manage chronic disease. Using Motivational Interviewing, teach-back methods, and chronic disease education, she worked alongside people navigating their own health by helping them manage medications, adjust diets, and make sustainable lifestyle changes. That foundation is now deeply woven into the non-profit.
“That background continues to influence how we approach prevention, stabilization, and family-centered support today,” she says.
But it doesn’t stop there. Additionally, Lakeda Sullivan also holds a relatively rare combination of credentials in Washington. She is dually licensed in both foster care and childcare, which allows her to work across child welfare, early learning, and community support in a way that stands apart from the standard approach.
“That dual role has shaped how our organization bridges systems and supports families more holistically,” she explains.
Her commitment to systemic change extends beyond direct service. Having previously served as a Washington State Parent Ambassador, she advocated at the legislative level for the very families she now serves daily. She also contributed to the Child Care Aware of Washington Design Team, helping guide statewide improvements in childcare quality and family engagement.
Momentum and Milestones in the Community
The organization’s momentum has been building rapidly since its founding in 2021. A significant leap forward came recently with the donation of a wheelchair-accessible van from Lewis County Transit, dramatically expanding their ability to provide transportation, a critical barrier in a rural area. Simultaneously, securing a contract with the Developmental Disabilities Administration allows them to offer paid support to adults with intellectual disabilities, filling another essential service gap.
Touched By One, Touched By All represents something increasingly rare in rural America, as a grassroots non-profit founded on genuine community need and guided by someone with both the credentials and the compassion to address it meaningfully. Lakeda Sullivan’s journey from military spouse to community champion demonstrates the power of recognizing gaps and filling them with heart-centered solutions.
The new resource center in Onalaska isn’t just another building, as it’s a beacon for families who’ve felt isolated, unsupported, and unseen. Through comprehensive services, accessible programs, and a philosophy centered on connection and empowerment, this nonprofit is proving that lasting community change happens when we remember one fundamental truth. When one is touched, all are touched. One hand has already reached out, the connections it sparked strengthening a community, now imagine what happens when more hands reach back.
Touched By One, Touched By All
1735 WA-508, Onalaska
360.827.2377
