International Resource Center & Community Services
Language & Document Services
Making Communication and Documents Easier to Navigate
Language and unfamiliar documents can create barriers in everyday life.
Spokane Slavic Association provides practical translation, interpretation, notary
public, and basic document assistance to help individuals, families, businesses, and
community members communicate and navigate common documents more effectively.
Depending on the service and available funding, services may be free, subsidized, grant-funded, or offered for a fee.
Translation services
Written Words, Made Clear.
SSA provides translation of selected written materials between supported languages.
Translation assistance may include eligible:
- Personal documents
- Letters and correspondence
- Forms
- Community information
- Business-related materials
- Educational materials
- Other general documents
Availability depends on the language, document type, complexity, length, turnaround time, and staff capacity.
Interpretation services
Real Conversations, Without the Language Gap.
SSA may provide interpretation assistance when individuals or organizations need help communicating across languages.
Interpretation may be available for selected:
- Appointments
- Meetings
- Phone conversations
- Community services
- Business communication
- Educational activities
- Events and workshops
- Other eligible situations
Interpretation may be provided in person, by phone, or virtually depending on the situation and availability.
Notary public services
Official Signatures, Done Right.
SSA provides Notary Public services for eligible documents.
A notary verifies identity and performs authorized notarial acts. A notary does not determine whether a document is legally appropriate for you or provide legal advice about what you should sign.
Before Your Appointment
Depending on the document and notarial act, you may need to:
- Bring the complete document
- Bring valid identification
- Ensure all required signers are present
- Avoid signing documents in advance when the signature must be witnessed by the notary
- Bring any additional witnesses if the document requires them
Notarization availability depends on the document and applicable Washington State requirements.
Basic Document Assistance
Sometimes the challenge is not translation—it is understanding what information a document is asking for or how to organize the information needed to complete it.
SSA may provide basic assistance with:
- Understanding general document instructions
- Organizing information
- Completing eligible non-legal forms
- Basic letters and correspondence
- Identifying missing information
- Identifying the appropriate organization or contact
- Determining when specialized professional assistance may be necessary
Services for Organizations & Businesses
Language access is important not only for individuals.
SSA may also work with businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare organizations, schools, community organizations, and other partners that need to communicate more effectively with multilingual communities.
Services may include:
- Translation of community materials
- Interpretation
- Multilingual outreach support
- Translation of selected business materials
- Event and workshop interpretation
- Assistance communicating with Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking community members
Organizations interested in ongoing or larger projects should contact SSA to discuss scope, availability, timelines, and pricing.
Languages & Availability
Services may be available in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and other languages depending on staff, contractors, partners, and the type of request.
Not every language or service is available at all times.
Please contact SSA to confirm availability before relying on a particular language service.
Free, Subsidized & Paid Services
SSA uses a combination of grants, charitable support, partnerships, and earned revenue to make services accessible while supporting long-term program sustainability.
Depending on the service and circumstances, language and document services may be:
-
Free
When covered by a program or available charitable resources.
-
Subsidized
When funding covers part of the cost.
-
Grant-Funded
When the individual or service qualifies under a specific funded program.
-
Paid
When the service is offered on a fee-for-service basis.
Any applicable fee should be communicated before the service is provided.
Revenue generated through paid services supports SSA's mission and helps expand access to community programs and services.
Important Service Limitations
SSA provides practical language and document assistance, but these services do not replace licensed professional advice.
Unless a service is specifically being provided by an appropriately qualified professional, SSA does not provide:
- Legal advice
- Immigration legal advice
- Tax advice
- Medical advice
- Financial advice
- Other regulated professional advice
Translation or interpretation of information does not mean that SSA verifies the accuracy, legality, or appropriateness of the underlying document or advice.
When specialized assistance is needed, SSA may help connect you with an appropriate professional or community resource.
Request a Service
To help us determine whether we can assist you, please provide information about the service you
need, the language involved, the type of document or appointment, and any applicable deadline. For
document translation, we may need to review the document before confirming availability, turnaround
time, and cost.
