SANDPOINT — You get a delicious lasagna dinner.

The Sandpoint Teen Center gets funds to help the community's youth through a variety of programs.

Both things are being made possible at Wednesday's teen center lasagna dinner fundraiser which kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Sandpoint.

The teens will be preparing the lasagna during teen center hours in preparation for the dinner fundraiser which features a menu of hot lasagna, salad, and dessert for their family and the community. 

"The dinner is both an educational activity for our teens to practice preparing meals and learn kitchen and serving skills, while also raising money to buy food for healthy snacks and hot meals every day after school at the Sandpoint Teen Center," Kate Mansur of the teen center said.

The center is partnering with the Eat Together Idaho campaign with the dinner, which promotes families eating daily meals with their teens.

"Studies show (this) reduces teen substance use, supports better academic outcomes for teens, and bolsters teen confidence and success," Mansur said.

The suggested donation is $20 per person, with no charge for youth. Proceeds go toward the center's Healthy Teens After School Program, which provides healthy food, activities, homework help and community service opportunities among other programs. The center is open in two locations — First Lutheran and a portable behind Sandpoint Middle School — every day after school.

The Sandpoint Teen Center lasagna dinner fundraiser will also feature a silent auction with items from local businesses, including Lake Pend Oreille Cruise, Silverwood, Elks Golf, restaurant gift cards, shopping and more. To eat lasagna and dessert for a good cause, RSVP to [email protected]. Those unable to attend can support the center by donating at sandpointteencenter.com or mailing checks to Sandpoint Teen Center, P.O. Box 1066, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

"It takes a community to nurture and enrich our teens," Mansur said.

Mansur said the center supports the community's youth by drawing teens into constructive challenges in a supportive “family-type” environment, and, as a result, building self-esteem and a positive personal outlook at the same time.

"Our aim through activities, games, homework help, service opportunities, and classes is for teens to turn vulnerable, unsupervised afternoons into a springboard to success, building healthy eating and recreation habits, positive relationships, and learning new skills that will benefit them in the future," she added.

Dedicated to the county's seventh- through 12th-graders, the 501(c)3 nonprofit offers a space where the teens can socialize safely and participate in activities developing leadership qualities, interpersonal skills and community awareness. Open for 17 years, the center partners with local organizations and individuals to provide after-school programming, Mansur said.

The center's Healthy Teens After School program includes a culinary program with daily healthy snacks, special hot meals and teen cooking classes; mentorship through activities with adult staff and volunteers; homework help; games and sports such as bowling, pool, ping pong, foosball, air hockey, board games and card games; arts and crafts; and community service opportunities.

The center attracts 95-150 teens every afternoon at its two locations, most of whom walk to the sites from Sandpoint High and Sandpoint Middle schools, Forrest Bird Charter middle and high schools, Lake Pend Oreille High School and the Homeschool Academy.

The Sandpoint Teen Center is open Monday through Friday, 2:30-5:30 p.m., opening at 1:30 p.m. on Fridays.

"Teens visit the Sandpoint Teen Center because there is either no one at home after school or they are looking for a place to socialize with their peers," Mansur said. "Other teens are seeking food to eat, an adult to connect with, help with homework or school assignments, or to try fun new things and make friends. Finally, with a lot of new families that have moved to our area we have more parents bringing their teens each week to check out the teen center."