Schools out for summer. Lovely images of sunny days playing at the park, riding bikes and running through the sprinklers come to mind. Yet modern day reality requires families to work long hours even though children are not in the classroom throughout the day. While the summer months bring additional challenges for families, support and services for children, youth and families are needed year round. That is why TOGETHER!, a non-profit organization has designed programs at the Evergreen Villages Apartments, a HUD-supported affordable housing complex on Olympia’s west side, to strengthen families and help children be both academically and socially successful.
According to Brittany Clark, TOGETHER! Program Manager, “TOGETHER! provides both Residential Services and a Youth Development Program for residents at Evergreen Villages. The Residential Services aim to increase the residents’ access to services by facilitating their participation in programs on and off site that enhance their well-being and connection to the community.”
“For example, TOGETHER! has brought in the Thurston County Food Bank and will host as a satellite location for residents twice a month,” adds Clark. “Additional services will be brought in throughout the year to accommodate the needs of residents. Our drop-in Youth Development Program helps cultivate and enhance the skills and abilities of the children residing at Evergreen Villages both academically and socially, enabling them to strengthen the relationships within their families and communities.
Clark adds that during the summer months, the Youth Program has extended hours allowing the children to participate in various games and activities that increase learning and development through art, science, math, and reading. The summer program also includes free breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. “During the school year, TOGETHER!’s Youth Development Program will be held after school and will be a safe and welcoming place that children can come for homework help, fun activities and an afternoon snack,” she says.
The Youth Development Program serves children who are 5-18 years old. During program hours, TOGETHER! has three onsite staff including Clark who oversees both the Residential Services and the Youth Development Program as well as two program assistants who are hands-on with the children, facilitate activities, act as positive role models and reinforce behavior. There are 180 units at the Evergreen Villages which means the programs offered by TOGETHER! typically serve over 400 individuals aimed at benefiting all residents of the apartment community.
Summer brings additional services and activities, especially within the Youth Development Program. Each week during the summer, the Youth Development Program selects a theme in which the children have opportunities to complete art projects, science experiments, math puzzles, and games in accordance to each theme. Clark shares, “We just completed our first themed week, Space is the Place, where we conducted activities that included coloring different planets, creating individual galaxies, and making galaxy slime from glue, starch and glitter. Other summer themes have included Underwater Waves, Creative Cooking, Rainforest Fun, and Fun and Fitness. In Underwater Waves the children learn about different creatures under the sea and create their own underwater aquarium during arts and crafts time. As a hands-on science experiment they create their own sand and sea foam using glitter, baking soda and vinegar. Additionally, the children have a chance to dive into the physics of water by keeping paper dry as they submerge it into a bucket of water.”
TOGETHER’S Youth Development Program emphasizes positive reinforcement by holding a weekly raffle for a community Super Star. Throughout the week childrens’ names get entered into the drawing by doing something positive that is then recognized by TOGETHER! staff members. Clark comments, “Each week our drawing has increased entries as children realize they will be rewarded for doing positive acts and exhibiting good behavior. As an example, the first Super Star winner won the drawing because he was the only one to help another little girl after she ran into a sliding glass door and hurt her nose. We also recognize Super Stars when children volunteer to help clean, show empathy towards another child, or display improved behaviors such as using manners.”
TOGETHER! is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and mobilize families, schools, and the community to advance the health, safety, and success of youth. Services at the Evergreen Villages Apartments help to meet the needs of low-income children and families. TOGETHER! collaborates with service groups, community agencies and other partners to deliver comprehensive resources and services for the residents of Evergreen Villages Apartments and is currently accepting volunteer applications for the Youth Development Program, assistance with food bank distribution and partnerships with outside agencies.
Visit the TOGETHER! website to learn more about the opportunities and services provided at the Evergreen Village Apartments or call 360-493-2230.
Sponsored
