Our new, free family outdoor walks are designed for parents with toddlers and preschoolers. This popular program is built for exploring and enjoying the great outdoors while integrating kid-friendly activities. Our next session includes three walks at different sites in Skagit County on Tuesdays from June 14-28. More walk options will be available from July 12-26. Are you missing key equipment to participate? Check out our gear lending library. Learn more about the walks and activities, and register for this free program on our Family Treks webpage.

WIC Staff will be distributing WIC Famers Market Checks to eligible clients in July. Supply is limited – available on a first-come, first-served basis.

With the ongoing shortages, WIC families can get approval to buy different brands and sizes of formula. At United General District 304, our staff are closely monitoring calls to offer help anytime a WIC family finds formula and needs approval to use their benefits.

If you use WIC benefits but can’t find approved formulas on store shelves, don’t hesitate to call the WIC staff, who are Spanish speaking as well: 360-854-0435.

The innovative Varsity in Volunteerism program recognizes the positive contributions our youth make to our community. This year, 84 students from all six Skagit County high schools volunteered more than 5,340 hours to support community needs at schools, food banks, parks, and non-profit organizations! Special congratulations to the 38 youth who served 80+ hours to earn a Varsity letter in Volunteerism, sponsored by United Way of Skagit County and United General District 304. Three seniors earned their fourth Varsity letter, meaning they contributed 80 hours or more each year for the past four years! Way to go!

Are you interested in learning how to help families work through the opportunities and challenges of the tween/teen years effectively together? Become a facilitator for the renowned Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14. In the facilitator training, you’ll learn how to deliver program content around parenting with love and limits, recognize the hopes and strengths of young people, and gain the skills to work with families from varied backgrounds.

The facilitator training is provided at no cost to participants and is offered in collaboration with the WSU Extension of Whatcom County.

Where: Burlington Public Library

When: August 2-4 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (must attend all days to become a certified facilitator). Lunch and materials are provided.

“We are looking for folks who are eager, excited, and ready to deliver this life-changing program to the community,” said Alicia Guildner, Program Coordinator at District 304. Once trained, people can apply for an on-call facilitator position with us and get started! 

Concrete Farm to School attended the first Concrete Saturday Market on May 28^th offering student-grown flowers and fresh spring produce from local partner Long Hearing Farm. Farm to School will be at every market through Labor Day weekend with a variety of produce and flowers, purchasable with SNAP/EBT, FVRx Bucks, East County Resource Bucks, and cash/credit/check.

Do you have kids in tow? Come see us on the first Saturday of each month, when we will also have activities for kids including market scavenger hunts, crafts, and story times.

Every one of Concrete’s 200 elementary students spent time in school gardens this spring learning about plants, soils, and healthy eating. At the middle and high school, Community and Technical Education and Science classes took part in weekly lessons aligned with their curriculum and helped maintain the Farm where students planted, grew and harvested flowers and other produce. Saturday Market earnings were spent on a new caterpillar tunnel where the ongoing student program will grow heat-loving plants like peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant during the summer.

Kenny Tuckerman of District 304’s finance department has had a special companion at work – a young Labrador Retriever named Reese V. Reese is a service dog-in-training for Canine Companions, a nonprofit supplying service dogs to people in need all over the country. Kenny was inspired to help because of his own experience raising a child with an intellectual disability. Dogs like Reese sometimes go on to help people with disabilities live independently.

“The District has been really helpful,” said Kenny, noting that Washington doesn’t require employers to support service-animal training. “Experience like this is critical to enable her to be paired successfully with someone who works in an office.” By spending time at work with Kenny, Reese learned what an office workspace is like and how to behave. Reese has graduated and is now in puppy college, receiving additional, specialized training. Kenny expects to have a new puppy in the office for training this fall.

Did you know you can use your Fred Meyer card to help make our programs possible? Through Fred Meyer Community Rewards, you can link your card to Foundation of District 304. Link your card in person on your next visit, or click here to do it online. Funds support classes, trainings, and programs for Foundation of District 304 at no cost to you!