Helen House Ellensburg

04/06/2026

02/07/2026

During Black History month, we reflect on the historical struggles of people of color and acknowledge their achievements and contributions that have helped shape society.

02/01/2026

We are excited to announce our new ✨Brag About Drag: Exploring the Glamour From Within✨ course! Join us every first and third Thursday of the month from 5:00pm-6:30pm to learn about unleashing your inner Queen, King, or Thing👑
We will be learning something new every week so stay tuned!

We will also be sharing a monthly calendar to keep track of Helen House events and meals. To help keep things simple, the food icons correlate to what will be prepared for that day's meal.

February Meal Schedule:

2nd and 3rd: pizza night
4th: potluck for our youth belated Christmas celebration
5th & 6th: ramen bar
9th & 10th: spaghetti and meatballs
12th: potluck for our 18+ belated Christmas celebration
16th & 17th: tacos
18th & 19th: build your own salad
23rd & 24th: dinner for breakfast
25th & 26th: mac-n-cheese

Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns.

01/15/2026

On Monday, January 19th, the house will be closed in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a moment to reflect on the potential within each of us to shape a brighter future.

"The time is always ripe to do right"
-Martin Luther King Jr.

12/23/2025

Helen House will be closed December 25th, 26th, and 31st as well as January 1st.
Open hours will be extended on December 29th and January 2nd for youth from 2-6pm, and for our 18+ folks on December 30th from 4-8pm.

For information on local humanitarian services that can provide assistance for individuals and families, check out the Kittitas County Resource Guide at www.kittitascountyresources.com

Don't hesitate to reach out for support, no one deserves to feel left behind.

Happy holidays to all ❄️🎄🌟

12/18/2025

Peers Rising will be closing early on Friday, December 19th to attend the Jolly Jamboree at Peers Rising here in the 'Burg.
This family-friendly gathering will include holiday crafts, photo opportunities with festive characters such as Santa, Grinch, and MAX, with refreshments provided.
We invite you to join us at 116 W. 3rd Ave from 5-7PM and encourage you to bring your loved ones to spread the holiday cheer. 🎄

12/02/2025

We hope this adjustment will make the house more accessible for visitors. New hours begin today, we are now open for 18+ visitors 4pm-7pm on both Tuesday and Thursday every week. We look forward to seeing you!

11/26/2025

The House will be closed Friday November 28th for the holidays✨. We'll see you back on Monday🌈

11/21/2025

On November 20th, we observe the International Day of Transgender Remembrance, a day to honor and remember those who have lost their lives due to transphobia and violence against the trans community. 💔🏳️‍⚧️

Everyone deserves to feel safe expressing themselves, but the harsh reality for many trans people across the globe is that they will face prejudice for having
the courage to stand out and be themselves. Trans people have always existed and always will.

We will always advocate for a world where everyone can be safe being themselves. 🩷🤍🩵

11/20/2025

As many of you have already heard, this past Saturday, Helen House’s founder, first Director, and greatest champion, Tylene Carnell, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her daughter and sister. Trying to put into words how important Tylene was to us, Ellensburg, Kittitas county, and so many folks in the q***r and trans community is a foolish task; nothing we can say here will come close to doing justice to the impact she’s had on so many of us. She loved Ellensburg, “my town” as she called it, and wanted the best for this place. Her involvement with CWU, Comprehensive Health, Pride Foundation, Helen House, JFON, the TransRural Elders Conference, and so many more have helped shape things for the better. She’s leaving our world better than she found it.

For us at Helen House, we’ll always remember her dedication to q***r and trans youth in our communities. She started Helen House with a vision of creating a space where everyone who walked through the door felt validated, accepted, and loved. We wouldn’t be where we are today without her love, and we’re so thankful and honoured to have been the recipients of so much of her care and (seemingly limitless) energy.

Tylene, we love you and we miss you

11/15/2025

UPDATE -- CANCELLED! All hands on deck! We are seeking some help with maintaining and ✨beautifying✨ our outdoor space.

Come join us Saturday November 22nd from 11am-2pm for our yard clean up event. Many hands make light work😌

We can't wait to see you there! 🌈

09/25/2025

🌈✨ Helen House Grand Re-Opening! ✨🌈
October 1–4, 2025 🎉

At Helen House, we’re building a safe, joyful, and affirming space where 2SLGBTQIA+ people of all ages can connect, learn, and thrive. Guided by equity, accessibility, and justice, we center those most impacted by oppression and commit to dismantling barriers within and beyond our walls.

Join us as we celebrate our growth + new chapter with a weekend of community, connection, and q***r joy:

📅 Events
🌍 Wed 10/1 — Safe Space Training @ Peer Rising | 5:30–7p *Guided conversation through personal storytelling*
🏡 Thurs 10/2 — Open House BBQ @ Helen House | 4–7p
💃 Fri 10/3 — Drag Show @ Odd Fellows | 7–9p (first half all ages, second half 18+) 🎟️ Tickets in Linktree (bio)
🏊 Sat 10/4 — All Bodies/All Genders Swim @ Memorial Pool | 3–5p (capacity 50) 📝 Sign-up in Linktree (bio)

💜 Helen House: A home for connection, care, and q***r joy, where every generation belongs.

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