SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane’s Parks & Recreation Department was awarded $133,000 to expand its summer 2022 outdoor youth programs, according to a press release.
These funds are part of the Summer Experience & Enrichment for Kids (SEEK) program, which aims to increase access to quality, outdoor summer programming for local children both in historically underserved communities and for those most impacted by COVID-19, according to Spokane Parks & Rec.
“It’s so important for us to offer healthy, safe outdoor recreation activities for the young people in our community, and the SEEK funding allows us to reach even more Spokane-area youth with these classes, camps, and outings,” Director of Spokane Parks & Recreation Garrett Jones said in a statement. “We hear from families how vital these activities are, not only for the physical health of their children, but for their mental and emotional health as well.”
The money is allotted to offer scholarships, fund field trips, and enhance summer camp experiences.
The funding will be split between three programs:
The Youth Summer Recreation Access for All: This program will offer scholarships to participate in youth summer recreation programs (June 6 – August 26), aiming to remove the cost barrier. The program will also pay for a certified medical employee to expand summer services to those of varied abilities, and allow for the purchase of additional safety and recreation equipment.
Riverfront Explore: an outdoor learning experience that will provide free field trips to local locations focusing on history, art, culture and more. Trips are catered towards all school-aged children but also to those in Spokane residential facilities or transitional housing, and will include transportation.
Spokane Community Outdoor Recreation Experience (SCORE): SCORE will support five local community centers to provide free outdoor activities three days a week, six to eight hours a day, for 10 weeks during the summer.
More information will be available as programs and partnerships are finalized here.