About Town: Lunch Buddy Volunteer Jay Henwood Rediscovers Joys of Recess

TAKE ONE caring adult and one needy elementary school child and mix for one hour a week. The result is Lunch Buddies, a program that helps young students be more successful in school.

Three years ago, Jay Henwood, longtime Kirkland resident and owner of , decided to give it a try. 

Every Tuesday morning he signs in at school and meets his young friend (who asked that his name not be used) in the Lunch Buddy room. They chat over pizza and milk. After that they play a card or board game, and then they go to recess.

Jay says it’s an experience that’s been even more rewarding than he expected. Although it’s sometimes hard to get away from his business, the commitment forces him to take a break. “Even when you think you’re having a bad day, go spend half an hour at recess and you will forget your troubles.”

By showing up every week, he sends a loud and clear message to his buddy – I care, and you matter. “You can not miss lunch buddies!” he says.

Nanci Wehr coordinates the LINKS program (Looking Into the Needs of Kids and Schools) for the Lake Washington School District, which serves Kirkland, Redmond and parts of Sammamish. The program includes Lunch Buddies for elementary kids, and tutoring and after school study programs for older kids.

“There is a lot of need for volunteers,” she says.

Lunch Buddies provides mentoring for kids who could benefit from one-on-one time with an adult during the day. Counselors, teachers or parents can request a mentor, and the parent must approve participation in the program.

Some kids struggle with confidence or social issues. Other kids may be dealing with stress at home, such as divorce or an absent parent. Any of these can make it hard for kids to be successful in school.

Students in mentoring programs are less likely to miss school, behave violently, or use drugs and alcohol. They are more likely to get good grades and go to college.

Nanci, a lunch buddy herself, says an adult mentor is “a non-judgmental friend.” Topics that have come up with her buddies include self-esteem and making good choices.

Jay says, “I’m kind of like a favorite uncle. Kids gravitate toward me because I tend to be a little bit silly and goofy.”

His student is now a third grader who is doing well in school. Jay says his role is simply “to be there.” He’ll occasionally offer advice if it seems appropriate, or if he’s asked. Personal hygiene and honesty are subjects that have arisen.

JAY IS no stranger to pitching in. A Kirkland resident for 50 years, he has been active in Kiwanis for a decade, where he has helped with to raise funds for homeless housing, as well as the annual tree, candy and nut sales that raise money for a variety of local and international causes.

He also works with in the local high schools, passing his civic values on to the next generation. 

Jay lives in the Norkirk neighborhood with his wife, Kim. Their grown son manages a restaurant in Seattle, and their daughter is an organic farmer in Port Townsend.

Besides his business and civic commitments, Jay plays guitar, sometimes with an informal group of friends that call themselves The Coveralls. Of course they meet in Jay’s garage. On weekends, Jay and Kim like to get away to their rustic log cabin in Twisp, where he enjoys the absolute quiet.

Jay loves Kirkland’s waterfront, parks and sense of community. He’s also impressed with its civil servants, and thinks that “the employees and people who run the city do an excellent job.”

Jay will become Kiwanis Club president in September. While he applauds the international work that Kiwanis does, he also believes in focusing on local needs, and hopes to encourage more Kiwanis members to become school mentors.

“I believe in taking care of kids in your neighborhood,” he says. “If every adult would walk one kid through childhood, I think there would be less crime and problems.”

Click here for more information about volunteering for the LINKS program.