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Summer's Better with Friends
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Consistency can't take a summer vacation.
Summer break can put a pause on youth potential, especially for those facing life's toughest obstacles.
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​Spending a summer supported by a full-time paid, professional mentor (a Friend) can maximize youth success and confidence in the world.
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Help us raise $300,000 this summer to deliver consistent mentorship over the next 3 months for youth across Seattle to have a better summer with a Friend.
Consistency in Mentorship​
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The loss of routine from school schedules can lead to social isolation, increased screen time, and rise in anxiety for youth.
Our full-time paid mentors are able to provide consistency in continuing to show up week after week during the summer--no matter what to provide security and support as youth navigate this critical time.
What is The Summer Slide?
What may sound like fun, is actually a term used to describe the unfortunate tendency for youth to lose achievement gains made during the previous school year.
Research suggests that summer learning loss disproportionately impacts students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, being more at-risk during summer months. All youth we serve at Friends-Seattle come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds alongside facing difficult life obstacles and environmental challenges.
How Michael and His Mentor Spent a Summer Making Plans and Dreaming Big
Michael was facing an especially critical year as he prepared to enter high school. Paired with his Professional Mentor Darius, together, they've been able to explore opportunities he may otherwise not have had access to.
Darius went all out this summer and took Michael to his first Seattle Storm game, took him overnight camping, took him to see a movie on a day they got the entire theatre to themselves, and wove in moments to talk about plans for success going into high school, and imagining a successful life after as well.​​​​​
When you're around Michael, his silliness and joy is contagious. He'll tell you all about how his favorite subject in school is math, how he loves to hang out with other kids, and how excited he is every time he gets to see his mentor.
Going into high school, Michael says he'll continue to improve in math as he feels, "it just comes easy sometimes." His current dream is to become an entrepreneur, with his love for cars, envisioning himself selling cars, "all kinds of cars!". His mentor chimes in with how his love for math can support that dream really well.
Michael has many options he envisions; like becoming a private chef, fixing cars, or creating the next viral recipe on the internet. With any option he chooses to pursue, he's able to continue to do so and plan for his future, all year long, with the support of his full-time mentor through the Friends of the Children-Seattle program.
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Give a gift today to invest in our summer programming and to ensure youth facing the toughest obstacles in the Greater Seattle region receive the consistency and support they deserve.