North Coast Electric Company

We headed towards downtown Seattle, our van loaded with 30 lbs of beef, 6 lbs of taco seasoning, 13 lbs of beans, 28 lbs of rice, 8 lbs of salsa & all the condiments for a bountiful taco bar! This was our day to prepare and serve lunch for the homeless youth at YouthCare’s Orion Center! With an hour & a half to unload, cut, cook, heat, and present we confirmed that we had the ability to work well together as a team. While knowing there are homeless children in the world is heartbreaking, 65 kids didn’t go without lunch that day! Truly a rewarding experience for us!

The Orion Center is a multi-service facility open to youth ages 13 to 24 and 4,500 youth accessed services in 2010. They offer a safe place for youth to access a variety of services from meals to case management. In 2010, 20,000 meals were provided. They also offer hygiene resources, lockers, clothing, and first aid. Their street Outreach Team makes contact with over 10,000 homeless young people each year providing food, water, and information about resources that can help them transition to more stable safe lifestyles.

The Orion Center is also home to award-winning education and employment training programs. The impact of these Programs is profound:

· 128 youth earned a diploma or GED in the last 3 years

· 145 to enroll in college last 3 years

· 305 have received basic intro in to the world of work 2007

· 70 learned skills that allowed them to earn a wage in 2010

Here’s how you can help now: They are desperate for volunteers to provide and prepare meals; lunch or dinner. Lunch in particular. They also need deodorant and sunscreen (yes, you can get a sunburn on a cloudy day in Seattle!)

To learn more about YouthCare, to volunteer, or donate, visit their website at www.youthcare.org.

Pictured from left to right: Christina (checking the oven), Jennifer, Ingrid, & Ann. (Working in another part of the kitchen: Jeanine, Rick, & Tara)