(Left to right) BGCSLC’s Will Armstead and Marissa Gloeckler with reporter T.A. Walker
Photo credit: Sevin Bullwinkle Photography
Can sharing a snack spark meaningful conversation for teens about their mental health?
At Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County (BGCSLC), that answer is a resounding yes!
Through a $10,000 donation from GL Homes to kickstart the Nourish to Flourish initiative at BGCSLC’s Chuck Hill Unit in Port St. Lucie, middle and high school students have easy access to healthy food, which improves their emotional well-being.
At the heart of the program is BGCSLC’s The CHU Food Pantry, a GL Homes sponsored project, which addresses food insecurity and provides a safe, welcoming space where club members and their families can access support, resources, and nourishment.
The Nourish to Flourish initiative introduces a Snack & Chat model, where club members receive healthy snacks during one-on-one or small group sessions with trusted mental health advocates. These simple moments—sharing a snack and having a conversation—help reduce the stigma around mental health, build trust, and create safe spaces for youth to open up and feel supported.
At BGCSLC, youth mental health became an organizational priority after seeing community-level trends and hearing from young people it serves. More than 75% of club members say they need someone to talk to when something important goes wrong in their lives, and a similar percentage say they can’t stop worrying when those things happen. Among a sample of middle school members, 62% reported experiencing low self-esteem and a lack of supportive relationships.
These findings, combined with the personal stories shared by BGC youth during advocacy events like Youth of the Year, affirmed the importance of creating safe, supportive environments where mental health is prioritized and openly discussed.
Above and beyond recognition goes to GL Homes employees Gary Little, Ann Marie Mott and Joe Stein who arrived before sunup to help pack Snack & Chat goody bags filled with nutritious snacks, a notebook with pen, and an encouraging note to Nourish to Flourish participants.
Feeding South Florida’s catering department, a social enterprise division of Feeding South Florida, brought breakfast and much-needed hot coffee by 6am to BGCSLC in Port St. Lucie for all TV participants. Thank you to FSF’s Director of Culinary Services Susan Taves and her team for the hearty and delicious morning meal!
A special thank you to WPTV Channel 5 and WFLX Channel 29 reporter T.A. Walker and photojournalist Elvis Griffiths for their excellent Shining a Light coverage of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County. Shining a Light is a weekday morning show staple with an unwavering dedication to showcase the positive news in our community.
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County offers diverse, enriching programs at 25 St. Lucie County clubs in a supportive environment for community growth and youth development. Over 16,000 youth are served annually. Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County promotes healthy lifestyles, civic engagement, good character and leadership.
