WHY FEEST?
The mission of the Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team (FEEST) is to gather young people together to prepare and share healthy, delicious food, learn about growing food as well as provide a space for youth to become actively engaged in issues of food resources and built environment in their communities.
WHAT IS FEEST?
FEEST is an organic dinner held at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center on Wednesday’s. Young people gather in the kitchen to prepare a meal from donated produce from Tiny’s Organics and Full Circle Farms. Dinners are youth-run and governed by Community Agreements that include “speaking your truth”, and respecting self and others. Each attendee is given the opportunity to share thanks and reflections on their past week. The dinners foster organic dialogue about the hopes and concerns of young people within their communities, including observations on their school environments, lack of fresh food in their neighborhoods, nutritional myths and realities, and ideas for multigenerational events. At the end of each month, FEEST youth produce a Community Potluck that invites neighbors of all ages to attend a FEEST dinner, regularly bringing out over 50 community members to interact with young people.
FEEST has also provided a platform for motivated young people to engage directly with the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, providing their input into strategies and learning more about the influential world of policy. FEEST leaders have presented their work at various regional and national conferences, have participated in numerous policy conversations, and have demonstrated FEEST as a model program to authentically engage young people in underserved communities.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
People of all ages are invited to attend our Monthly Community Potlucks, held on the last Wednesday of every month (except in case of holidays or school breaks). Adults are asked to bring an organically cooked dish or some organic veggies to contribute to the cooking.
RSVPs are requested. Please send the number of people in your party and what you may bring to Cristina Orbe at cristina@wcccda.org
Cooking starts at 3:30 (the best part) and dinner starts at 5:30 PM. Be prepared to stay to clean up the space. It is an important part of our community agreements.