For information on the Children, Youth & Family programs in the context of the covid-19 emergency, please contact Alma Reyes at almar@thestewpot.org or Becky Zamora at beckyz@thestewpot.org. If you would like to sign up for our next food distribution (family-size ready meals and grocery items), please click on the button below. NOTE: the food distribution is grocery and pre-made type items that must be prepared in a kitchen. You must have a residence in order to receive this service.

For over 20 years, The Stewpot supported the children and families of nearby City Park Elementary.  The school closed but the programming goes on with an expanded criteria. Saturday Kids’ Club, Junior Crew & Venturing Crew are designed to meet ongoing educational needs of children at-risk for poverty. Long-term financial stability is achieved through enrichment programs; educational scholarships; and support of basic needs, including a family stabilization program.

Saturday Kids' Club

Saturday Kids’ Club provides enrichment programs and a safe place for children to learn and grow in the first through fifth grade. Programs at Saturday school range from art, computers, drama, gym, small games, field trips and group discussion, all closely supervised by staff and volunteers. Both breakfast and lunch are served, and special gifts are provided to the children in honor of special occasions.  

Junior Crew

Junior Crew is designed to meet the specific needs of sixth through eighth graders, focusing on self-esteem, life skills, and other issues that are relevant to early adolescents. The goal is to keep them involved through high school with our Venturing Crew program and then to attend college. 

Venturing Crew

This program targets at-risk youth from grades 9-12 who attend Wednesday night meetings throughout the school year and participate in activities such as from ROPES courses, camp outs, college visitations, field trips, and special events.  The program’s ongoing themes are career challenge and high adventure - a powerful combination to help youth develop personal and interpersonal skills while challenging and enjoying themselves. The dedication of staff and volunteers who mentor and encourage these youth to further their education is critical. Approximately 80% of Explorer Post students go on to college – an accomplishment that many of their families never envisioned.

summer day camp

For two months every summer, 150 children and teenagers from the downtown shelters and community neighborhoods attend Summer Camp. Younger children rotate through arts and crafts, drama, music and sports while older youth focus on hands-on activities such as building computers, developing Power Point presentations, career search, arts and crafts, drama and community service projects. All ages participate in field trips, movies, plays, and museum visits. 

Family Stabilization 

Monthly food distributions provide a week's worth of groceries to families whose children participate in Stewpot Children & Youth programs. The goal is to stabilize and provide budget relief to participating families.

English as Second Language Classes

English as a Second Language classes are available to the parents of children in our programs. The goal is to help parents be able to communicate in everyday conversations such as with their children’s teacher, at the grocery store, or with other needs they encounter. 

Educational Scholarships

Educational Scholarships provide ongoing incentives each year for higher educational goals for any college youth who has participated in any one of our at-risk youth outreach programs for a minimum of two years.

The Children and Youth Programs at The Stewpot are unique in that there is potential for a long-term relationship with children from a very early age through college. Homelessness and poverty does not need to be the future of our children and youth.

The House of Blues Foundation donated drums to the Stewpot Children and Youth Program and they are making beautiful music with them.