Volunteer Mentor: Teach Cooking & Gardening to Teens

We help these teens gain self-esteem by providing essential building blocks for healthy development, breaking the cycle of neglect and abuse. Our goal is to surround the youth with caring adult role models who give an active listening ear while participating in a wide variety of activities.

Echo Glen is a Washington State juvenile detention facility and a school operated by the Issaquah School District. The facility has approximately 125 male and female youth in residence, ranging in age from 10 to 20 years old. They come from every part of the state, and all have great untapped potential.

National studies show that 80 to 85 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have at one time been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. This seems to be a continuous cycle—a one that Echo Glen staff is determined to break. Nearly all of these young people have dangerously low self-esteem; they crave positive attention from adults and need good role models.

• COOKING – share simple cooking & baking skills with the youth in their living units 2 times each month. More here https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./
• GARDENING (seasonal) – help the residents learn how to grow vegetables and herbs or help with keeping up the landscaping beds and planters. One of Echo Glen's top priorities is to allow the youth to help beautify the campus so they can take more pride and ownership in their school and residential areas. More here https:///

Days & times are flexible after 3:30 PM on weekdays or most times on weekends.