The Answer for Youth helps at-risk population

PORT ANGELES — The Answer for Youth, a drop-in center for homeless and at-risk populations in Port Angeles, provides a range of services for those in need.

And it has a lot of success stories, executive director Susan Hillgren said.

“We have kids that go to treatment, and then I no longer see them until I walk in at 9 o’clock at night and they are in an NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meeting,” she said. “One night, seven of the nine had gone through the (TAFY) program. They were all clean and sober, and that made my heart so happy.”

TAFY received a $3,000 grant in July from the Peninsula Home Fund that supported both hot and cold meals, car parts, shelter and heat, hygiene products, and rent and utilities — all areas of focus for the organization, which spent more than $19,000 last year.

TAFY was just one of 15 nonprofit organizations in Clallam and Jefferson counties to receive a total of $90,000 in grant funding from the Peninsula Home Fund in the last cycle.

Now in its 36th year, community members have contributed $93,203 since Thanksgiving toward this year’s grant cycle, which will be administered through a partnership with Olympic View Community Foundation this spring.

Although fundraising occurs throughout the year, a special campaign is conducted annually through the holiday season.

Grant applications will be due in mid-February, and winners will be announced in April.

Donations, along with the names of the donors — should they elect to have them published — will be presented in the Peninsula Daily News throughout the campaign.

Over the years, the Peninsula Home Fund has raised more than $5.05 million for those in need on the Peninsula.

From children’s pennies to checks for thousands of dollars, each donation makes a difference, helping people from Port Townsend to Forks, from Quilcene and Brinnon to Sequim, Port Angeles, Joyce and La Push.

All contributions are fully federally tax-deductible for the year in which the check is written.

Those who wish to donate can mail checks to Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA, 98362, or to Olympic View Community Foundation, P.O. Box 3651, Sequim, WA, 98382.

An online option is available at https://ov-cf.org/peninsula-home-fund-donation.

At TAFY, the primary clients are homeless and at-risk youth up to age 35, Hillgren said. But that doesn’t exclude families and those who have been with the program since its inception 15 years ago.

Located at 826 E. First St. at the former site of Gross’ Florist & Nursery, TAFY also maintains the Sprouting Hope Greenhouse on location.

TAFY is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.

While it raises funds through other avenues, one of its signature events is its annual Christmas party at First Baptist Church in Port Angeles. Twenty-five families attended this year, said Hillgren, who added that many were active drug addicts when TAFY started its program.

Now they are sober, she said.

“This is their tradition,” Hillgren said. “They look forward to this Christmas party every year because we’re their family.”

The outreach extended this year to 72 children, she said.

The Peninsula Home Fund grant contributed to nearly 1,500 meals, helped provide car parts to 71 clients and provided shelter to four clients through the STAR program, Hillgren said.

TAFY also provided 43 tents, supplied propane to 33 clients, hygiene products for 419 clients, and rent and utilities support for 25 clients, she said.

Hillgren highlighted the work of 40 volunteers as she is the organization’s only employee.

“Almost all are local retired people who just have dedicated their time both to the greenhouse and to being able to step up and be part of the mission that we do here,” she said.

For the Peninsula Home Fund, the following is a donor list from Dec. 28 through Wednesday:

Name and amount

• R.J. Services, Port Angeles, $1,000.

• Bob Fermanis and Marla Timmons, Port Angeles, $150, in memory of Alan Hus’s.

Name only

• Margaret Waldron, Sequim.

• George and Jolie Will, Sequim.

Anonymous

• $103, Port Angeles.

• $100, Port Angeles, in honor of Bronson West.

• $100, Port Townsend, in honor of Marilyn Liden Bode.

• $100, Sequim.