The Assistance League of Southwest Washington’s team of female volunteers from all ages and walks of life are what make their philanthropic organization so special. These women have a personal stake in the outcome—they, too, call SW Washington home—and work to accomplish their mission through three concrete steps: overseeing a community needs assessment, developing a program to fit those needs, then funding and finding the perfect match of volunteers.

Our Partnership in Action

We simply delight in the ladies of ALSW. There isn’t much they haven’t had a hand in; from providing bedding and other essential items to helping us set it all up inside of our homes. Most recently, they’ve donated amenities for our Lily Pad Apartments and are implementing a “Summer Saturday” program, where they’ll spend time engaged in an enrichment activity, like crocheting or gardening with our youth. Our kids can even find opportunities for volunteering with the ALSW to bring our relationship full circle.

The Department of Children, Youth & Families is the principal agency for state-funded services supporting children and their families through partnership with state and local agencies, tribes and other organizations. With a mission to help Washington’s youth to grow up safe and healthy, DCYF focuses on helping kids build long-lasting skills rooted in resilience.

Our Partnership in Action

Each of our tender yet undeniably tenacious youth come to our homes through a referral from the Department of Children, Youth & Families. While it’s true that, in an ideal world, there wouldn’t be as great a need as there is, we’re grateful to be a resource for DCYF and to offer youth what is often a “last-stop placement” on their journey to independence.

Treehouse for Kids is the leading organization providing Washington’s youth in foster care youth access to the services they deserve to be successful, academically and beyond. Thanks to Treehouse for Kids, 90% of youth who experience foster care will go on to complete high school, with a plan to transition into self-sufficiency by 2027.

Our Partnership in Action

Our relationship begins with a DCYF referral for Treehouse for Kids services. A youth is then appointed their own Treehouse Advocate and given support through multiple learning programs, like graduation success advocacy. Treehouse is also an ongoing resource for school supplies and incentives to stay the course. They even help fund extracurricular experiences—think Band or Driver’s Ed— and offer staples like a “Hair Budget” for a youth’s hair care needs.

Education Service District 112 (ESD 112) collaborates with schools and community partners in SW Washington to bring equity and opportunity to students in the same area. By shining a spotlight on student success, ESD 112 helps schools use a more complete toolbox of educational resources, thanks to the support of partnerships, cooperatives and state and federal grants.

Our Partnership in Action

ESD 112 casts a wide net with school counselors in the area about all of their school- and career-based services, including the “YES Program” for all foster youth who have 504 or IEP learning plans. Our teens are even equipped with internship opportunities with ESD’s community partners and are eligible for interview prep and all the pieces that accompany it, like learning the ins and outs of bus schedules for safe commuting.

Like AKI, the YWCA Clark County has a long history of supporting women and oppressed populations with their programs. And hands-on options like the Independent Living Skills (ILS) program—plus support from staff, volunteers, donors, grantors and more—helps foster youth ages 15 to 23 triumphantly transition from state-supported care into independent living.

Our Partnership in Action

Our youth are invited into an extensive range of skill-building and social experiences through YWCA’s ILS program, with incentives to really claim ownership in developing independent skills around education, employment and housing. We see so much responsiveness from our ILS workers as well—our youth simply reach out and their ILS worker ensures their request for support is heard.

Cascadia Technical Academy is a career and technical learning experience for high school juniors and seniors, founded in partnership with 10 school districts in SW Washington. Their programs run the complete career spectrum, from Applied Medical Sciences, Automotive Technology, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Information Technology, Medical Assisting and Teaching Academy, to name a few!

Our Partnership in Action

As long as they meet age and education-level criteria, our youth can opt into any of Cascadia Technical Academy’s specialized job programs, where they’ll receive college certifications for the industry they’re interested in studying. Our younger AKI students can also participate in Cascadia Technical’s summer school program in an abbreviated job program course.

Running Start is a statewide program that gives junior and senior level students the option to take college courses at any of Washington's community colleges and technical colleges, three public state universities and two public tribal colleges. Students get both high school and college credit for these courses, accelerating their educational timeline with zero tuition.

Our Partnership in Action

Similar to Cascadia Technical Academy, Running Start gives our youth the chance to participate in a dual credit program, receiving high school and college credits for the same course once they’re completed. Our Running Start students do not pay tuition, although they’re often responsible for books and transportation costs—which is where many of our other relationships come in handy to help provide true wraparound support.

Metropolitan Performing Arts is a non-profit committed to sharing performance opportunities and art education with residents in SW Washington. Their academy offers acting, singing, dance, tech and design classes, while their community theater works to preserve a quality neighborhood theater experience for all to enjoy.

Our Partnership in Action

Our youth continually gravitate toward the classes Metropolitan Performing Arts offers through scholarship to AKI—particularly the makeup classes; from traditional theater cosmetics to the out-of-this-world Sci-Fi makeup sessions. All of our youth are invited to enroll in individual classes that pique their interest, or in a performance program if their school schedule allows for it.

With an emphasis on youth and family services, one Catholic Community Services program has been especially instrumental for us: their Wraparound with Intensive Services Program, known as the WISe Program. WISe provides acute mental health services with a focus on crisis intervention, with individualized care plans and a full team responsible for their management.

Our Partnership in Action

We consider the WISe Program an additional mental health division for our kids; especially those in need of extra mental health support. It’s a voluntary service that relies on a team approach to meet our youth’s challenging needs. Our youth are assigned clinicians and case coordinators for therapy appointments, as well as peer mentors for safe, healthy and engaging outings. Most importantly, WISe supports are easy to access, with 24/7 crisis services.

With a mission to inspire self-esteem in foster youth by sending them back-to-school with confidence, Project Lemonade turns the proverbial lemons of being a kid in the system into a refreshingly sweet lemonade. Through Project Lemonade retail stores to internships, networks and scholarships, Project Lemonade helps diffuse the experience of being “othered” as a child or teen in state care.

Our Partnership in Action

Our kids are always thrilled when they hear of a Project Lemonade shopping trip. The experience of being able to go to their Portland storefront and shop, free of charge—not just for back-to-school gear, but for year-round clothes, shoes and accessories for those entering care or changing homes—truly brightens up our youths’ often complex adjustment period.

The mission behind Building Changes is a simple one: that communities thrive when people have safe and stable housing and can equally access all of these services. Rooted in the houseless community, Building Changes works to advance equitable responses to the dire need in housing, with a focus on children, youth and families.

Our Partnership in Action

As one of our newest relationships, we’re looking toward the Flex Funding program offered by Building Changes. This program encompasses all of the minor-but-major costs related to rent assistance, like moving costs as youth graduate from our program to furnishing help for new spaces, in hopes that their next home might feel as safe and welcoming as their time at AKI.