Partnerships

BUSINESSES

We are so blessed when businesses want to team up to support young people.  Companies can sponsor a number of mentor matches, sponsor activities and projects, or help us launch a new chapter as a Venture Donor. Businesses can also encourage employees to participate, host FORGE Informational Presentations, provide activity tickets, or come up with their own ideas. 

Additionally, companies and employees can join us as an Experience Partner to share the business’ operations, how they got started, and how kids could pursue that career.

Business Partner Spotlight: 

Mark Monteith of AAA Insurance is passionate about helping young people in the community.  To show this, he has donated to many causes, including FORGE.  He loves sports and likes to see kids have the opportunity to play or at least be encouraged and supported in whatever interest they pursue.  Mark really appreciates that FORGE is helping kids discover many new avenues to express themselves, while also learning needed skills and being exposed to educational and career options.  

REFERRAL AGENCIES

Many young people not only need a positive adult role model, but they also desperately WANT them in their lives. Our partnership with referral agencies will allow us to directly connect to these kids in need. Referral agencies include public and private schools, mental health and counseling agencies, youth and family service organizations, law enforcement, churches, and more.

Referral agencies receive training on identifying kids to send to FORGE, communicating our mission with children and families, and the process of referring a young person. We recognize these agencies are very busy, so we keep things very simple and keep them informed on the progress of the referred kids.  

Referral Agency Partner Spotlight:  

Lutheran Community Services Northwest, in the Tri-Cities, WA, does an incredible job of helping so many young people and their families.  It has been so helpful and encouraging for us to team with them to further support and empower the kids that they are working with.  We have found the greatest way to partner with them is by connecting kids who graduate from their “W.I.S.E.” program with one of our mentors to ensure that they continue building on the foundation erected in that program.  While the W.I.S.E. program may only work with the child for a limited time, FORGE mentors can stay with them for as many years as desired, bringing even greater health and more paths into adulthood.

SCHOOLS

Our public and private schools are in a difficult position of not only educating our children but also having parenting roles and responsibilities often given to them.  Class sizes are large and many kids are “left behind”.  Our partnerships with local schools and the district offer support to the counselors and other staff as they try to manage the needs of each child.  

We train staff to identify kids they may refer to FORGE, how to communicate our work with children and families, and what is the process of referring a young person. The school staff is very busy, so the referral process is very simple and we keep them informed on the progress of the child they send our way.  

Our staff is also available to meet with families, be present on parent conference days, and even give assemblies.

School District Spotlight:

We have great respect for the Yakima (WA) School District and what they are doing to try and fully support the kids and families they serve.  Because the needs have significantly grown, they decided to collaborate with numerous agencies, including local churches, to help meet these needs.  They recognize that “separation of church and state” does not keep the faith community from providing “secular” services, so partnering with churches has led to many new supports for the kids.

FOUNDATIONS

Our work could not be done without generous donors, including many foundations that support non-profits in their regions.  

Foundation Spotlight:

Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities (WHWFTC) works so hard to raise money that will help local programs make a lasting difference in the lives of kids, women, and families.  FORGE has been blessed by this great group in many ways as our missions align – helping build strong young people, families, and community.  

FORGE has received grants from WHWFT to expand and strengthen our service, but has also been given great opportunities to share our work and ask others to join us to meet the need.

CHURCHES 

Every town has many churches, and research supports our belief that they play a vital role in the health and success of the community. 

It is a great joy to team with the local churches to meet the needs of the community and help them show their relevance. We simply ask church leaders to allow us to share with the congregation why kids NEED and WANT caring adults in their lives. From there, we do all the work to recruit and train volunteers, empowering them to help us grow and reach kids in need. 

Church Partner Spotlight:

Crossview Community Church joined with FORGE early on and has provided many mentors and volunteers to our program. While that has of course helped us and so many kids in need, it has also been a great blessing for them. Their mission is to be “In the City, for the City” and teaming with us has allowed them to fully act out that mission and deeply connect to and lovingly serve kids and their families from the area. We are also grateful for their financial support and for providing office space for our organization.