One of the most important food programs for young people in Pend Oreille County is nearly broke, and it needs a cash infusion by the end of April in order to fund its 286 monthly bags of food.
Youth Emergency Services (YES), which started in March 2021 with pandemic relief funding, only had $1,050 at the end of March for its weekend food program, said YES Executive Assistant Paula Martin. That’s slightly less than half the average $2,122 it spends each month on food for people in need under 24 years old, mostly Newport School District students.
This isn’t spelling the end for the program as YES will use money from its general fund to support it for now.
YES Executive Director Kellie Dean says that they prefer not to draw from their general fund, as it is designated for participant services including things like clothing, education, housing and employment.
After the original federal funding for the program, administered under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) ran out in January 2025, YES has relied on occasional grants and donations. The food program receives approximately $500 in donations each month.
“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.
About 252 of the bags go to students in the Newport School District. YES spends about $7.42 on each bag, adding up to more than $6,200 in the first quarter of 2026, Martin said.
“To lose this program would be detrimental to our kids, physically and mentally,” Dean said. “There is a direct link between nutrition and children being able to grow healthily 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 your 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 into 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 County,” 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.”
Martin said $37 provides five bags and $74 provides 10 bags and 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.”
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.
