Free hands-on outdoor education

Growing Skills,
Feeding Futures.

PNW Provides is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating and empowering underserved youth and low-income single parents to learn how to use the Pacific Northwest’s natural resources to help put food on the table for themselves and their families, especially those who may not otherwise have access to these opportunities.

Through various hands-on outdoor programs, we aim to positively shape their futures by encouraging healthy hobbies, building lifelong skills, and creating meaningful memories that can impact generations to come.

Explore Our Programs →Support the Mission
Washington State nonprofit Free to participants Volunteer-led
Outdoor instructor helping youth learn to fish from a boat on a Pacific Northwest lake
18youth reached at our first event
Kids Fishing Day • Lake Samish
What we teach

Practical skills from the outdoors to the table.

Our programs cover the full process, from harvesting in the field to processing and preparation.

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Fishing & Crabbing

Casting, tackle, species identification, regulations, cleaning, cooking, and responsible harvest.

Hands-on outdoor learning
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Hunting Education

Hunter education, safety, ethics, conservation, regulations, responsible harvest, and foundational skills.

Safety + stewardship
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Foraging & Harvest

Shellfish, mushrooms, edible plants, safe identification, seasons, and sustainable gathering.

Know what to harvest
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Gardening & Growing

Planting and gardening skills that help families learn how to grow and harvest food at home.

Grow food at home
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Food Skills & Preservation

Cleaning, cooking, canning, vacuum sealing, food safety, recipes, and ways to make a harvest go farther.

Make the harvest last

How our programs work

Our programs are designed for beginners and those with limited experience.

Youth actively fishing from a boat while an instructor helps land a fish1

Try it.

Participants get hands-on experience and learn by doing.

Outdoor instructor demonstrating how to clean a fish for youth participants2

Learn it.

Participants build the knowledge to practice each skill safely and responsibly, including the regulations, techniques, and steps for cleaning and preparing what they harvest.

Young participant proudly holding a fish she caught3

Take it home.

Participants leave with the knowledge to keep practicing, along with take-home supplies whenever possible.

Built for access

Remove the barriers. Keep the knowledge.

Learning outdoor skills can be difficult when families don’t have the financial means to purchase the right equipment and permits, or someone with the knowledge and experience to show them where to begin. Our free, hands-on programs help make those opportunities more accessible.

Because children often rely on adults to make these activities possible, we include parents and caregivers whenever we can. When adults learn alongside the child, they’re better prepared to help make future opportunities possible and support that interest as it grows.

18Youth reached at our first event
7Communities represented at our first event
$0Cost to participate
100+Youth we aim to serve in 2027
Young participant holding a freshly caught fish
Youth learning to fish alongside an experienced guide on the lake
Youth reeling in a fish while an instructor helps with the net
Youth gathered around an instructor learning how to clean fish
Young participant handling a fish during a cleaning demonstration
Our first program

One day can open a door.

At our first Kids Fishing Day, youth learned directly from an experienced guide and took part in the full process, from catching a fish to cleaning and preparing it.

“The goal is more than just a great day outdoors. It’s giving kids the skills and confidence to use what they learn on their own, long after the program ends.”
Kids celebrating together during a boat ride at PNW Provides Kids Fishing Day
A positive outdoor experience can be the start of something bigger.It can spark new hobbies and create a connection to the outdoors that lasts a lifetime.
Coming up

Next outdoor learning opportunity.

Programs are seasonal and designed around what the Pacific Northwest has to offer throughout the year.

Dungeness crab in a crab pot being pulled alongside a boat
UPCOMING PROGRAM
Fall 2026

Dungeness Crabbing Event

Participants will learn how to safely catch, measure, clean, and cook Dungeness crab while covering Washington State regulations, conservation, and responsible harvest practices.

Cornet Bay areaHands-on instructionFree program
Event updates

Hear about upcoming programs.

Sign up to hear when registration opens, dates are confirmed, or new outdoor programs are announced.

We’ll only use your information for PNW Provides program and event updates.

Get involved

There are a lot of ways to help.

PNW Provides is volunteer-led. Community knowledge, donated equipment, and local partnerships help us create more free outdoor learning opportunities for youth and families.

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Volunteer or Teach

Teach or share your experience in fishing, hunting, foraging, edible plants, gardening, or food preservation. Volunteers can also help support our events.

Volunteer with us →
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Partner or Sponsor

Businesses and community organizations can sponsor a program, collaborate on events, or help us reach more families.

Partner with us →
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Donate Equipment

Fishing equipment, safety gear, coolers, canning supplies, gardening tools, and other reusable items help us equip future programs.

Offer equipment →
Contact

Connect with PNW Provides.

Have a question? Send us a message!

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Serving Washington StateInitial focus in Northwest Washington
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Emailpnwprovides@gmail.com
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Messages from this form are sent to pnwprovides@gmail.com.