In 2021, Claire Bruncke helped found the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center (DJHCC) to address a severe lack of access to afterschool programs in her rural community of Pacific County, Washington. The DJHCC has since become a key touchpoint for families and children in the county, serving roughly 65% of K-12 youth in the district last year.
But, like many youth providers across the state and rural programs in particular, the DJHCC has had to navigate a glaring gap: funding. While 26 states dedicate funding for afterschool programming, Washington does not.
As the executive director of the only youth program in her county, Claire knows firsthand how this lack of state funding limits youth programs’ ability to meet the needs of children and families. While connecting with SOWA for support in 2022, she learned about the Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST), a statewide coalition coordinated by SOWA that advocates for youth development policies and funding.
Joining the coalition was an opportunity Claire couldn’t pass up—especially as a much-needed voice for rural communities.
“One of the things that was important was that we use our experience to try and create change for other communities like us,” Claire said. “The YDST seemed like a really great fit for that.”
Claire’s involvement in the YDST, including becoming co-chair of the Leadership Committee in 2024, has helped fuel her work and keep policy and advocacy a top priority for the DJHCC.
The majority of Claire’s advocacy happens in the interim between sessions, when legislators have the time to learn more deeply about the communities they serve. An effective strategy that Claire engages in is inviting legislators and elected officials to visit DJHCC programs and see youth in action. “It’s really easy to not support [something] if you can’t connect it to real people,” Claire said. “The more that my legislators look at a bill and see my kids’ faces, the better.”
But a successful advocacy strategy involves more than meeting with legislators. Claire also invested in building momentum on the ground. Between monthly YDST coalition and leadership meetings, check-ins during legislative session, and sessions at SOWA’s Bridge Conference, Claire spent 2024 telling the story of the DJHCC—and helping providers across the state do the same for their programs and communities.
“[We’re] a collective ecosystem,” Claire said. “If our story can help make a change that will benefit everyone, that’s a win for us.”