announcements

Willows Youth Services Center
is Open

Willows Youth Services Center, located at 12735 Willows Road NE, Kirkland, WA 98034,
is open, and the shuttle services are available.

For more information, including transportation options, call or text 425.449.3868.

Back-to-School Supply Drive

Join Friends of Youth in giving back this back-to-school season! We will be accepting school supply donations at the Redmond Town Center from July 6 through August 3.

View our Amazon Wishlist or email inkind@friendsofyouth.org for more information!

Amazon Wishlist

Join the Sparks of Change Network today!

Your monthly gift provides more young people with access to life-changing opportunities.

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and join the Sparks of Change Network!

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celebration of youth recap

Events like Celebration of Youth do more than just share our work; they educate, inspire, and galvanize our
community to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to succeed.

Miss our Celebration of Youth events? Catch the highlights of both our events and feel the energy of our community!

APRIL 24 | HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EVENT RECAP

MAY 8 | FOSTER CARE SERVICES EVENT RECAP

latest news

building community beyond services

Strong communities are built through relationships, shared responsibility, and a commitment to ensuring that all young people and families have opportunities to thrive. At Friends of Youth, we recognize that supporting youth extends beyond providing services. It also means partnering with organizations that advocate, build connections, and help address needs that are often unseen. This quarter, we had the opportunity to participate in community events that reflected the power

now hiring: join our team and make a difference!

Our community thrives because of the passionate, committed people who choose to serve it, and we’re excited to announce several open positions for individuals who want to be part of meaningful, mission-driven work. We’re looking for team members who believe in strengthening community connections, supporting local families, and helping create opportunities for everyone to succeed. Whether you’re an experienced professional or someone eager to grow your skills in a supportive e

spreading care and encouragement: mother's day gift baskets bring joy to families

This past Mother’s Day, many of the families we serve received a special reminder that they are seen, appreciated, and supported thanks to the generosity of Mimi Johnson and her church community. Together, they donated thoughtfully assembled Mother’s Day gift baskets that brought joy and encouragement to mothers and caregivers throughout our programs. Filled with care and intention, these baskets provided recipients with an opportunity to feel celebrated and valued. Acts of k

volunteer spotlight: melanie helps keep our donation center thriving

This month, we are proud to recognize Melanie for her outstanding volunteer service in our Donation Center. As our Basement Manager volunteer, Melanie consistently shows up with a positive attitude, a willingness to help, and a dedication to making our donation space the best it can be. Whether she is organizing inventory, tidying the space, or helping employees find needed items, Melanie approaches every task with enthusiasm and care. Her commitment has helped transform our

community partner spotlight: cafe veloce helps nourish youth, young adults, and families

Community partnerships make a meaningful difference in the lives of the youth and families we serve, and we are grateful for the ongoing support of Cafe Veloce. Through their generous food donations, Cafe Veloce helps provide delicious meals and food items to youth, young people, and families facing difficult circumstances. Access to quality food offers more than nourishment; it provides comfort, stability, and a reminder that our community cares. Their generosity helps us st

a different approach to supporting families: inside the community reinforcement and family training (craft) program

Since February, Stefanie Jaswal, SUDP counselor, and Price Gass, MH therapist with YFS, have been teaching Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) skills to parents and caregivers of the youth and young adults we serve. The CRAFT program offers a structured, evidence-informed approach that empowers families to support change with compassion, practicality, and effectiveness. When someone struggles with substance use, the effects reach far beyond the individual, aff

moments of crisis creating connection and hope

Written by Jill Redling, Clinical Director of Foster Care Services Moments of crisis can create meaningful opportunities for connection and hope. I was reminded of this on a rainy day in June while visiting a foster caregiver’s home. During that time, I witnessed a youth who has faced incredibly complex, real-life challenges begin to navigate what it means to seek support and build trust, something that can feel unfamiliar after experiences shaped by inconsistency and instabi

celebrating our impact: a night of community, connection, and healing

This year’s Celebration of Youth was a vibrant, energy-filled evening that brought together community members, employees, and program participants in a shared space of connection, celebration, and reflection to champion the vital mission of Friends of Youth. The first Celebration of Youth event beautifully highlighted the magic that happens when we integrate our Homeless Youth Services (HYS) and Youth & Family Services (YFS), proving that housing stability and holistic wrapar

celebration of youth: community in action

This spring, our community came together for Friends of Youth’s Celebration of Youth, an inspiring series of gatherings that demonstrated what is possible when people unite around young people. Hosted at Sparkman Cellars, this year’s event featured two focused evenings centered on youth experiencing homelessness, behavioral health, and foster care. Through powerful panel conversations, attendees heard directly from young people, caregivers, and employees, lifting up lived exp

All News

Friends of Youth welcomes, honors, and celebrates our clients, colleagues and communities’ diverse identities, histories, knowledges, languages, and cultures. Our organizational values shape the way we work individually and collectively, as we prioritize young people’s belonging and achievement. We work to challenge, alter, and ultimately dismantle interconnected systems of structural and historic oppression. We collaborate with community stakeholders and partners to develop policy and decision-making frameworks that advance racial equity.

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