Healthy Kids

Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program is the only certified early childhood development facility in south Lincoln County, serving families in Yachats, Waldport, Tidewater and other nearby communities. The program offers kindergarten readiness with the same curriculum offered by Head Start, preschool for kids ages 3 to 5, and after-school for kids up to age 12. In addition, Yachats Youth and Family Activities allows 13-year-olds to volunteer with the after-school program, with jobs available once the child turns 14.

Other programs include a monthly Literacy Dinner for families, where a featured book is read and then distributed to young children; as well as summer camps and swimming lessons. 

“We offer a high-quality program to prepare the kids of south Lincoln County for school,” said Alice Beck, program director. “We aim to be the spot for kids and families in this part of the county, to connect with each other and with the community.”

In 2018, Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital provided a Social Accountability grant for the preschool at Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program. The preschool serves up to 30 children with tuition only covering the facility’s expenses, but Beck said that only a few parents can afford the tuition.

“We couldn’t do this program without Samaritan and our other grant sources,” she said. “We are so appreciative that Samaritan, as a part of south Lincoln County, sees the value in our preschool and the other programs we provide.”