Bowie Rachelle Isaac Sara

2022 06 14 | Host: Colin Heggie | Sara Isaac & Rachelle Bowie -- Teen Junction

Colin Heggie hosted Sara Isaac (right in photo), Teen Junction’s Program Coordinator, & her colleague Rachelle Bowie, manager of youth services in the Kelowna office of the Boys & Girls Club Okanagan. Kelowna first had a Boys Club in the 1950’s, with girls added later. Today, BGC Okanagan has 41 locations, serving children and families without regard to gender. Programming includes daycare, pre-school, before & after-school programs, life-skills, arts & recreation, emergency shelters, providing meals & family support, through streams for early years, middle (6-13), youth (13-20), & families. Our local Teen Junction (long supported by our club) is currently open 3 to 8pm, Tue to Thu, offering youth a safe place for recreation, socializing, learning life skills, & receiving various supports. Positive community engagement is fostered. There are supports & counselling for vulnerable clients, referrals, meals, snacks & weekly food hampers, sometimes for the whole family of needy youth. Needs for food have increased dramatically in the past couple of years, due to rising costs & declining food security among people with limited resources. Teen Junction relies heavily on donations, to maintain their food supply, & to keep the doors open.