Growing a Place to Belong
Jefferson Teen Center Awarded 2026 GROW Fund Grant
The Food Co-op is proud to announce that the Jefferson Teen Center has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 GROW Fund grant, receiving $1,570.40 in funding. The annual GROW Fund, made possible through our participation in the Twin Pines Cooperative Community Fund, supports Jefferson County nonprofits working to strengthen community resilience, food security, equity, and sustainability.
ABOUT JEFFERSON TEEN CENTER:
The Jefferson Teen Center is a nonprofit youth organization serving teens ages 10–19 in the Tri‑Area region of Jefferson County. Their mission is to reduce barriers to essential resources for teenagers and their families while creating a safe, welcoming space where young people can access support, build leadership skills, and participate in prosocial community events. As the only dedicated teen space in the tri-area rural community, they provide stability, connection, and opportunities for youth who often face limited access to enrichment programs and basic needs.
Their Nutrition Program is one of the most relied‑upon supports they offer. Many teens in the community live below the poverty line, and consistent access to healthy food is a critical protective factor. They provide daily nutritious snacks, weekly lunches, cultural meals, and birthday food celebrations that help teens feel nourished, valued, and ready to engage. Approved snacks such as berries, carrots, celery, apples, mixed greens, plums, pears, and snap peas nurture positive associations between fresh food, community care, and lifelong healthy habits.
A core part of their work is bridging the gap between local farms and youth experiencing food insecurity. Through partnerships with nearby growers and community donors, they bring farm‑to‑fork produce directly to teens, strengthening both food access and local agricultural connections. Their Free Store and Food Pantry further support families by offering pantry staples, hygiene items, and essential supplies.
Beyond nutrition, their programs foster belonging, leadership, and emotional well‑being through peer support groups, creative projects, nature‑based activities, and youth‑led events. Together, these efforts ensure that every teen who walks through our doors is met with nourishment, dignity, and opportunities to thrive.
GROW FUND IS HELPING:
Jefferson Teen Center plans to use the Community Grow Fund support to strengthen the newly redesigned nutrition components of their programming. After experiencing a $45,000 loss in grant funding last year, they worked closely with their Youth Advisory Council to strategically recalibrate their offerings and identify nutrition activities that remain both impactful and financially sustainable. With their guidance, they are expanding their community‑based programming by partnering with the Chimacum Grange to host two monthly food‑centered events.
The first is Meals & Movies, a teen early‑evening event held one Friday per month from 5–8 p.m. Teens select the meal through the Youth Advisory Council, and the PG‑13 movie is chosen collaboratively with the Jefferson County Library. Staff support is provided through a partnership between the Jefferson Teen Center and the OWL360 Resource Navigation Program. These evenings offer safe social time, leadership opportunities, and consistent access to a nutritious meal.
The second addition is Family Dinner Nights, also hosted at the Grange once a month. These gatherings provide a healthy, freshly prepared meal for families with teens in our community, along with youth‑selected games and activities. This program strengthens family connection, reduces food insecurity, and reinforces their “keep it local” motto by sourcing ingredients from local farms, the Chimacum Farm Stand, and our new food bank partnership.
Grant funds would be used specifically to purchase ingredients for teen‑selected meals, family dinner menus, and movie‑night snacks.
“Our local teens need support, the world is becoming more demanding, so it is nice to have an organization focused on making them feel seen and supported.” said Andrea Stafford, Director of Marketing at The Food Co-op. “The GROW Fund is one way our members and shoppers invest back into the community, and Jefferson Teen Center’s impact is exactly the kind of story we hope to uplift.”
Learn more about the GROW Fund at www.foodcoop.coop/grow-fund
