This summer, something truly remarkable has been taking place across Sequim and Port Angeles, something that reflects the best of our youth, our community, and the power of coming together with purpose.
Since the end of the school year, a team of dedicated teens age 14 and older has played a key role in supporting our Summer Food Program, with a youth-centered workforce readiness initiative run by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula. What began as a summer job for these young people has grown into a meaningful opportunity to serve others, gain valuable life experience, and address a pressing need in our community: childhood food insecurity.
Under the guidance of adults, our teens prepare, package, and distribute free USDA-approved meals across 11 sites in Sequim and Port Angeles during the summer. This essential service will continue through the month of August.
These aren’t just packed lunches, they are lifelines for hundreds of local kids who may otherwise lack access to consistent, nutritious food during the summer months when school is out of session.
This program is about much more than meals. It’s about mentorship, responsibility, and leadership. After completing an application and interview process teens are required to obtain a food handler’s permit and complete several other program-related training courses before starting work. Once hired, teens assist with food prep, assemble meal bags, help track inventory, and learn to manage their schedules. In short, they step into real-world roles, and they rise daily to the challenge.
This initiative is a cornerstone of our Clubs’ commitment to workforce readiness. Too often, adolescents don’t get the chance to build practical skills before they’re thrust into the working world. Our Summer Food Program gives them that opportunity in a supportive, hands-on environment that emphasizes communication, teamwork, time management, and above all, community service.
Each teen who joins this program walks away with more than just a paycheck. They leave with the confidence of knowing they made a real difference, not only for themselves but for their peers and neighbors. They learn that their time and talents are valuable. They learn that showing up every day, on time and ready to work, is what it means to be dependable.
Their work is supported by dedicated adults who provide oversight, mentorship, and encouragement. These program leaders model professional behavior, help navigate challenges and remind our teens that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Their presence elevates the experience and ensures that learning is constant, even amid the busyness of meal prep and delivery.
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the program in action over the past six weeks. At the Clubs, prior to departure to the various sites community-wide, I watched teens carefully stack lunch bags and milk into coolers and double-check delivery lists. I’ve seen them take pride in a job well done — and that pride is contagious. At all locations, parents and children have expressed deep gratitude for the meals and the care behind them.
This is what the Boys & Girls Club is all about — building great futures- — by empowering youth to lead today. The Summer Food Program proves that when we invest in our youth, they in turn invest in the community. They become part of the solution, tackling real problems with courage and heart.
As summer continues, we celebrate the success of this program and the dedicated group of adults and young people who help make it happen. But more importantly, we look forward to sustaining this momentum year-round.
The lessons learned — about work, service, and community — will carry these adolescents into the school year and beyond. And for some, this summer may have even sparked a career path in food service or nonprofit work.
To the teens who are participating in this important program: thank you. Your efforts and positive attitudes are inspiring. To the staff leaders who are guiding them: we are grateful for your commitment to sharing your experience-based knowledge. And to the residents of Sequim and Port Angeles: thank you for supporting youth development programs that not only feed children but also nourish the potential of the next generation.
Together, we are building a stronger, healthier, and more connected community — one meal, one teen, and one summer at a time.
