5 Reasons to GiveBig in 2021
GIVEBIG DAY IS HERE! The gift you make in support of Teen Feed on May 4th/5th, from midnight to midnight, will be MATCHED by the Teen Feed board of Director’s donor pool, maximizing support for youth in need!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE (https://co.clickandpledge.com/default.aspx?wid=91946)
Here are *5 BIG REASONS* to make a GiveBIG gift to Teen Feed and meet the immediate needs of homeless youth in our community:
5. TEEN FEED THRIVES DURING CRISIS
During COVID, municipal facilities and programs closed. We donned PPE, rallied community volunteers and delivered hot meals nightly, and food and supplies via backpack teams into encampments, dispelling misinformation and earning trust, and meeting youth where they are.
“I am so glad you guys are here.” – a youth’s voice
4. YOUTH RELY ON TEEN FEED
Since January 2021, Teen Feed served 14,000 meals to 900 individual young people. By year end we expect to have served 28,000. Youth trust and rely on Teen Feed’s meal and support services. Teen Feed is the ONLY outreach and case management program designed to meet the unique needs of street youth ages 13-25 in the University District.
“If I didn’t have Teen Feed to come to, I couldn’t eat today.” – a youth’s voice
3. TEEN FEED HAS THE LOWEST BARRIER TO ENTRY
We are unique. Teen Feed is a low barrier program – we do not require an ID to welcome youth into our safe space. Teen Feed provides basic needs items like clothing, socks, toiletries, and sleeping bags. If youth require we offer tele-health and mental health connections. Over the meal our roving health checks and Advocate volunteers build connections and share supportive resources.
“Teen Feed helps me take care of myself.” – a youth’s voice
2. WE OFFER A CARING COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH
Teen Feed works with 800+ volunteers to provide warm homemade meals. We rebuild the trust that is lost through the experience of homelessness. Through volunteer service, stereotypes are challenged, understanding grows, and youth move towards greater stability.
” this program means a lot when you have to deal with everything out there.” – a youth’s voice
1. YOUR GIFT WILL BE USED WISELY
Teen Feed receives no city, state, or federal funding for its meal programs. Our donors are truly our partners in providing a safety net for youth in need. We deftly navigate the funding landscape with sound business practices, a minimum staff count, and leverage in-kind donations and volunteers while we focus dollars on youth.
…and as a BONUS, Your GiveBIG gift will be MATCHED providing more meals, support and connections by our dedicated board of directors. Our board is volunteer, and equally passionate as YOU about our MISSION.
If you have any questions about GiveBIG or need assistance, Janine Kennedy, Teen Feed’s Director of Mission Advancement officer is available to help at 206.409-1202 or janine@teenfeed.org.
THANK YOU for sharing a GiveBIG gift to Teen Feed in support of homeless, at-risk, and food insecure youth and young adults working hard for their futures! www.teenfeed.org
What’s Cooking for the Holiday at Teen Feed? Outreach recaps 2020 w/ Tom Douglas Hot Stove Radio Dec 23rd@9am
Teen Feed Outreach coordinator Gloria chats with long-time partner Tom Douglas prior to his team’s donated time and efforts toward the Teen Feed holiday meal. Many thanks for the December 25th provided by his staff and restaurants. With stories of street youth, our work, and the amazing community surrounding us during COVID–19, tune in and celebrate YOU, our youth guests, and incredible community of volunteers during this challenging year of 2020.
CLICK HERE and Shop our Outreach Amazon Wish list from the kids!
(You can also use the following short link: http://bit.ly/teen-feed-wishlist)
Click here for KIRO 97.3 Radio Show and podcast links.
#BLACKLIVESMATTER
Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of George Floyd and we at Teen Feed ally with our brothers, sisters and non-binary friends in the Black community in profound grief, and in crisis we demonstrate love and solidarity. Teen Feed strongly condemns racism and police brutality. We will uplift the voices of color among the youth we serve; we see and hear you. We will educate ourselves to be brave, engage, and to be uncomfortable in practice as we address systemic change and institutional racism. We embrace the unlimited opportunity to be the change we want to see and ensure that the Black voices and voices of youth of color are amplified, valued, and responded to. #BLACKLIVESMATTER #TEENFEEDTIMES
Feeling the Love and Loving the Jammies with Ben Gibbard and Death Cab Fans
Teen Feed is feeling the love from you and the fans, Ben. Hugs and THANKS to you and Rachel (hi Megan!) for the continued support of our amazing street kids (and WE loved the rocking’ jammies tonight!) www.teenfeed.org/donate
Check Ben out! https://youtu.be/Ei9xuVkbQuU … and tell your friends! (Ok, maybe just the cool ones…) Yes, OF COURSE Teen Feed is serving meals and touching lives of homeless kids on the front lines during this quarantine. Send us your selfies on instagram in your jammies! (ok, rated PG, please!). #teenfeedtimes or instagram @theteenfeedtimes
COVID-19 Rescheduled Volunteer Orientations – Video Trainings this Fall
All Teen Feed Volunteer Orientations will be rescheduled due to the recent concerns surrounding the Novel Coronavirus/COVID – 19. For the protection of our volunteers and community members we would encourage you to keep watch for the announcement of online training for the fall, with more details are available at www.teenfeed.org/volunteer
If you’re a meal team or current Advocate, it’s business as usual at Teen Feed as we continue to serve our population nightly. We have taken additional precautions to protect our youth, staff and volunteers. Feel free to email us at info@teenfeed.org for our recommendations as we foster wellness in our community and continue this important work in our community.
If you’d like to support our increased need for blankets, sanitizer, cup Noodle soup, oatmeal packets and jerky in our backpack items, kindly share at www.teenfeed.org/donate. Our STOP teams are full steam ahead, reaching the most vulnerable of our population at this time with our backpack shifts.
March Community Sundays at Flatstick
Share a brew with us! EVERY SUNDAY in March AT FLATSTICK PUB SOUTH LAKE UNION JOIN Teen Feed for tap beer, golf and vittles as we build a stronger community. Families are welcome.** Our friends at Flatstick donate a generous $2 for every beer and $2 for every round of mini-golf you purchase. Proceeds go directly to our STOP backpack outreach teams – the first contact, mobile health and relationship-building programs that connect our street kids with vital services. Meet your friends at Flatstick this week. Questions? info@teenfeed.org or email janine@teenfeed.org. See you there!*
Where: 609 Westlake Ave N | Seattle, WA 98109
Ages 21+ Only After 7PM
When: March 1,8,15,22,29 from noon til 4pm.
More details about mini-golf or other deets: https://flatstickpub.com
Donate: Support Our Work on the Streets
Did you know that for the last four (4) years and during the COVID Pandemic Teen Feed has been independent of city, county, state and federal funding? We depend on you, our community funders and volunteers. Our promise is to be efficient ($$) and nimble, filling the cracks of our broken system, and listen nightly to the unique needs of young people. We navigate deftly on their behalf towards their goals of health and stability makes our work on the streets THE MOST LOW BARRIER CONNECTOR between already-established vital nonprofit, government, faith-based and business services and You travel with us in 2021. DONATE HERE with our secure page from Click and Pledge: https://co.clickandpledge.com/default.aspx?wid=91946
Our donors know we leverage with donated basic needs and local partnerships to feed, house and employ our kids as they build skills and esteem. We create an overwhelming network of support, because we know relationships are THE WAY that homelessness is trounced. We are boldly getting it right Seattle.
POSITION CLOSED Until 01/01/2022: (STOP) Peer Youth Intern
(updated 05/12/21). Are you a young person 18-24 with lived experience looking for an internship with Teen Feed? See Gloria at stopcoordinator@teenfeed.org.
The Teen Feed Street Talk Outreach Program (STOP) Peer Youth Intern works as an integral part of the Teen Feed street youth community to offer support to meet basic needs, build strong relationships and ally with homeless youth as they meet their future off the streets. The STOP Intern is overseen by the Street Talk Outreach Program (STOP) Coordinator. This position is responsible for assisting the charge of direct-service street outreach, youth engagement programming, and collaborating with community partners to best meet the needs of the community. The core of this position focuses on making the first contact with individuals who are typically resistant to social services. This is achieved using non-traditional street outreach conducted in the youth’s environment. The desired candidate will be outgoing, engaging and willing to learn the best practices while working with a vulnerable population. Candidates with strong language skills, non-traditional diversity components and/or membership/contacts within the LGBTQ community and/or Indigenous communities are encouraged to apply. Having lived experience leading to a mature understanding and perspective is encouraged but not required for this position. The outcome of the position for this candidate will be a greater stability and reference network for their self-defined goals.
Essential Duties
Youth Engagement and Relationship Building (80%)
- Lead the charge on street outreach 2-4x/week;
- Assist with coordinating intentional and rotating outreach teams
- Work closely with the volunteer coordinator to recruit volunteers for outreach
- Exhibit and role-model ethical behavior and proper boundaries in working with vulnerable youth; serve as a liaison for youth who are interested in accessing case management and other support services Teen Feed and community partners offer
- Work closely with STOP Coordinator to run Teen Feed’s “sweat equity” program, a system designed for Teen Feed youth to build self-esteem and volunteer for supplies in return, i.e.–tents, sleeping bags, gift cards, backpacks, etc.
- Represent Teen Feed and its mission at various outreach events, community meetings, UDSPA partnerships, advocacy opportunities and donor events
- Assist managing a system for supply management for In-Reach, Outreach and the Dinner Program
- Assist in management of inventory external storage facility site to meet the needs of the programs regarding seasonal changes and food supply administrationAdministration Youth Engagement and Relationship Building (20%)
- Direct-service tracking via Outreach metrics and Salesforce
- Assist to maintain administrative responsibility for Salesforce metrics and HMIS data entry, monthly board and end-year reports.
- Assist managing youth mailing system
- On behalf of peers and youth, provide feedback to organizational publications, curriculum, board committees and multiple program reach affecting youth, and represent real-time views to increase the effectiveness of Teen Feed programming
- Attend staff meetings when necessaryDesired Skills & Attributes
- A great communicator. Well-organized. Excellent interpersonal skills, with a commitment to youth empowerment.
- Candidate will represent and organize youth voices in organizational operational and organizational strategic planning issues and is willing to demonstrate initiative to learn and enhance skills that actively promote anti-racism, anti-oppression, cultural competency and an understanding of oppression and its impact on the Teen Feed mission.
- A researcher, a problem-solver with appropriate professional boundaries, self-motivated working with minimal supervision, reliable.
- Familiarity with social service systems and issues pertinent to homeless youth
- Ability to actively model resilience that has been acquired via some type of significant life experience.
- Physically able to walk outreach routes, perform a range of motions including exerting, carrying up to 50lbs, sit for long periods of time, kneel, squat, stoop, go up and down stairs
- Contribute to team success by a willingness to cross-train in other areas of Teen Feed organizationSalary: PT $15/hr/10 hours weeklyLocation: University District, Seattle WA
Inquiries: Email Gloria Antonio, STOP Coordinator stopcoordinator@teenfeed.org | 206.356.9314 *si, hable español for an application, or stop by the Teen Feed office for help with resources for resume-building and a cover letter.
(1) Fill out your application
(2) Attach a current resume and cover letter sharing why you are interested in this position
(3) Email them to Gloria (or bring them by 4740B University Way NE – black grated door by Rudy’s)Applications will be open for 2 weeks, starting October 16, 2019. Come by the Teen Feed office
Teen Feed is an equal opportunity Employer. Teen Feed is a 501c3 organization.
Join Us @Cuoco Italian for 3rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner Sun Nov 24th. Get Tickets Here!
Join us Sunday, November 24th for the THIRD year with our friends Tom Douglas and the staff of Cuoco Italian for a delicious feast of Stan’s house made spaghetti and meatballs, caesar salad, fresh garlic bread, seasonal sorbet for dessert and two (2) glasses of our house white or house red wine or selected non-alcoholic beverages. 100% of the proceeds go towards Teen Feed’s winter backpack outreach teams. Lovely wine and good company, plus we’ll have raffle tickets if YOU BRING A BASIC NEED ITEM and (super awesome) prizes to give away throughout the evening! Seats fill quickly so… Get tickets HERE
When: Sunday November 24th
Where: Cuoco – 310 Terry Ave N Seattle, 98109
What: Great spaghetti balls of fire, veggie and mmmm atop yummy pasta with 2 (TWO) glasses of vino. Bring a few of only your very coolest friends**
Cost: Ticket prices are $40! Any additional donations go to the kids in the form of basic needs, healthcare co-pays, housing application fees, educational fees and communication support. BRING A BASIC NEED FOR A RAFFLE TICKET. Tarps, underwear, socks, gloves, hats and high-protein snacks.
Get your tickets HERE. Limited spots first come first served. See Event Details on the Tom Douglas website HERE.
Host a Basic Needs Drive!
Teen Feed works to offer basic needs items and daily essential to help homeless youth to care for themselves. We distribute basic needs items to youth at the nightly meal program, during street outreach, and in our office as youth access support coordination. And as the weather changes, so do our basic needs items!
We rely on you, our community, to provide basic needs items to the youth. Consider collecting items at your office, home or social group, or sending an email to friends. Whatever a supply drive may look like to you, know you are providing youth the daily essentials they desperately need. Below we have provided downloadable signage and resources to help you with with your Basic Needs Drives. Thank you on behalf of the youth we serve*
Basic Needs Drive Resources:
- Basic Needs List (see below) *Notice that some items are indicated at **HIGH PRIORITY – URGENT NEED
- Basic Needs Drive drop-off schedule: please coordinate directly with STOP Manager (stopcoordinator@teenfeed.org)
- Basic Needs Drive Sign
CLICK HERE and Shop our Amazon Wish list from the youth!
You can also use the following link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/B4AB0QKGA4ZW/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex?
**If mailing items to Teen Feed, please send to**
Teen Feed C/O Mail Etc. Inc.
4730 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(we have trouble receiving packages at the Teen Feed office due to our hybrid office schedule)
Basic Needs Items for Youth:
Gift Cards: *any amount*
Target
Costco
Amazon
Toiletries:
Body Wipe packages *Dude Wipes are most requested*
Electrolyte Packets
Hair Ties
Travel Sized Deodorant
Clothing (new or lightly used and washed):
New high quality wool socks
Solid colored beanies and gloves
Men’s Hooded sweatshirts (M to 2XL, dark colors preferred)
Men’s raincoats (M to 2XL)
Men’s T-shirts – all sizes- light solid colors for the summer
Men’s Sweat Pants/Joggers
Men’s New underwear/boxers – size small and medium especially
Men’s shoes (no dress shoes) (size’s 9-12)
Reusable Water bottles
Other needs:
Apple Cider and hot cocoa packets
Pre-Packaged Cereal Bowls
Jerky/Meat & Cheese Sticks (non-perishable)
Donation Drop-Off Schedule
We are happy to receive items by appointment by emailing our STOP Manager: stopcoordinator@teenfeed.org.
Need help? We are happy to create something custom for your group, or update you on the latest personal requests for our youth in their jobs, going to school or working for us toward stability as interns! Please reach Janine Kennedy at janine@teenfeed.org or 206.409.1202 for more information