Having a trusted adult or caregiver in a young person’s life can have a positive impact on their health and well-being. Best Starts Positive Family Connections strategy partners with community to strengthen and build positive relationships between parents, caregivers, and young people.
Through our Positive Family Connections Family Network Mini Grant request for proposals, we are excited to fund activities that support families with young people ages 5-24 to strengthen relationships, build trust and connection, support intergenerational and cultural heritage bonds, and aid in the personal development of young people and their caregivers.
We want to give a special tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Kimberly Walker, for her leadership and support in developing this mini grant.
Meet the groups of collaborating families!
The following awardees are groups of collaborating families working in partnership with a fiscal sponsor. Their projects or events focus on self-care, helping working families, and/or providing mental health supports.
- Black Coffee NW Grounded is organizing a King County Women’s Wellness and Family Rejuvenation 3-Day Retreat.
- Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle is organizing a family camping trip for low-income Eritrean families to experience nature and build community together.
- Finote Wongel-Path of the Gospel is developing parent and youth workshops focusing on mental health and offering them in Amharic, Tigrinya and Afaan Oromo languages.
- Hopestream Community is partnering with local King County High Schools (urban, suburban, and private) to raise awareness of fentanyl and other teen substance misuse and addiction and resources for families.
- Inclusion Island is providing social and recreational opportunities/events for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and family (game night, move night, etc.).
- Inspire Family Institute is hosting a series of interactive workshops, community forums, and collaborative projects led by parents focused on self-awareness, resilience, and empowerment.
- Intercultural Children and Family Services is creating a Self-care Cohort accessible to Kinship families and providing self-care classes and connection to mental health, well-being, and positive connection.
- Ireta Purhepecha/New Hope Lutheran Church is hosting language and music family classes as well as traditional family events and ancestral practices.
- Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force is working with a family coach to create a family pain crisis plan, family sessions and culminate with a Family Day together.
- Para Los Nino de Highline is creating a self-care workshop series for Latino immigrant families.
- Queencare Products LLC is hosting a weekend retreat focusing on self-care for caregivers and including a wellness track for youth.
- Seattle Cares Mentoring Movements is developing activities for youth and caregivers to attend in the Lake Washington Apartments, monthly outreach meetings, and family fun days in the summer.
- Vashon Island Youth and Family Services is planning a weekend retreat for families that includes respite for parents, parent discussion groups, and fun family activities.
- White Center Heights Elementary PTA is collaborating with Family Resource Center, White Center Heights, and PEPS to co-create a curriculum for incoming kindergarteners and their families in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali.
- Women United is creating a support group for grandmothers raising grandchildren in Skyway. Activities will include sewing, arts and crafts for children and adults, socials, gatherings, and family fun activities twice a month.
