Boy Scouts of America - Chief Seattle Council Programs
In addition to our regular programs for youth we have designed programs to reach youth at risk and emerging demographics. They are as follows:
Children of Incarcerated Parents Program (COIP)
COIP is designed to reach sons between the ages of 6 and 17 and their incarcerated mothers. This program provides family reunification support and mentoring for sons and their mothers through Scouting activities.
Boy Scout Summer Lunch Program
During school, many low income youth receive free and reduced-price lunches through National School Lunch Program. The USDA maintains the program during the summer months by providing free lunches at select locations. The Boy Scouts has partnered with the USDA to provide a leader and Scouting activities to these low income youth at many of the locations where these lunches are provided.
Soccer and Scouting
Soccer and Scouting is designed to reach the growing Hispanic/Latino population living in the Puget Sound area. We add soccer activities to regular Scouting meetings to attract Hispanic/Latino members so that they may experience the benefits of the Scouting program.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
During the summer months many youth that receive a free and reduced lunch do not participate in activities such as day camps, sports clinics, etc due to lack of funds. We know that some of them are left at home unsupervised or in the care of an older sibling while their parent (s) goes to work. The Boy Scout Summer Lunch program fills this vacuum by providing positive and engaging activities to these youth as well as access to a caring adult during the summer.
Included in the curriculum are lessons in honesty, compassion, cooperation, faith, citizenship, and health and fitness.Last year we were able to serve close to 300 youth at 22 sites throughout the Puget Sound region.
This is a very unique opportunity to reach youth where they are at and give them an introduction to the values presented through Scouting. We conduct multiple fundraisers and request funds from individuals to t support this program as well as our other Scoutreach programs. Nevertheless, we continue to seek funding to expand the program and maintain the quality of program these at-risk youth receive.