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Sophia Aldous
NEWPORT – After years of helping feed homeless and at-risk youth, Youth Emergency Services (YES) of Pend Oreille County will no longer have the funding necessary to continue its weekend food program at the end of April.
According to YES Executive Assistant Paula Martin, the food program was down to its last $1,050 as of last week. On average, Martin said YES spends over $2,122 per month to fill its pantry. This in turn fills 286 bags needed per month for teens and young adults, up to age 24.
“Without additional support, the food bags that many local youth and young adults rely on may no longer be available,” Martin wrote in the YES March newsletter.
The original funds for the food program derived from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that started in March 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds ran out in January 2025 and YES has relied on small grants and donations since that time.
“We’ve been applying for other grants, but they are highly competitive, and we haven’t gotten one yet,” Martin said. “Of course we’ll keep trying.”
The food program assists youth experiencing food insecurity by providing food bags filled with meals and snacks to help them get through the weekend. Each month, YES staff prepare and distribute approximately 286 weekend food bags to young people throughout Pend Oreille County. Of those, 252 bags go to youth in the Newport School District. The cost to provide one bag is around $7.42. This last quarter, the food program cost a total of over $6,219, according to Martin.
“To lose this program would be detrimental to our kids, physically and mentally,” YES Executive Director Kellie Dean said. “There is a direct link between nutrition and children being able to grow health- ily and focus on school. If you’re hungry, you’re not paying attention, if you’re not paying attention, that can negatively affect your grades, and if you’re grades are failing, you’re not getting through school.”
It’s not just the weekend food program that some youth depend on. The staff at YES say kids come in the facility everyday looking for snacks, a cup of noodles and something to drink, whether it’s cold water and juice in the heat of the summer or hot chocolate in the fall and winter.
“We don’t deny any kid food, whether they are from Pend Oreille or Bonner Counties,” YES Advocate Kaileyann Saunders said. “Sometimes people struggle. Families are doing their best and times are hard. People need reminders sometimes that their community cares about them.”
According to Martin, $37 provides five bags and $74 provides ten bags.
Even small contributions can make a meaningful difference.
“We’re asking that people please consider making a monetary donation to help this program keep going,” Martin said. “Whatever you can spare is not too small.”
For more information about YES, go to www.yesteensupport.com.
The Miner Newspaper is holding a non-perishable food drive for YES throughout the month of April. Please bring donations to The Miner office Monday-Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
SOPHIA MATTICE-ALDOUS IS A MURROW NEWS FELLOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEWSROOMS AT THE NEWPORT MINER AND RANGE MEDIA THROUGH A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. HER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE FOR USE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS WITH CREDIT.
