Empowering Youth and Families Outreach

Mission

Empowering Youth and Families Outreach's mission is to make a lifelong impact in the lives of under-served youth by offering multifaceted programming that raises up resilient leaders who are empowered to achieve their dreams. EYFO fulfills this mission by providing services to over 4,000 youth and their families, over the past 20 years, who participate in our various educational programs

New Construction Campaign " EYFO Building for the Future"

After serving South Seattle as renters for 20 years, we are now in the construction phase of owning a $6.6 million facility in partnership with Bellwether Housing. EYFO's Leadership Enrichment Center (opens fall of 2023), at the Flourish on Rainier marks the transition of EYFO from renters to owners and anchors us in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Your much-needed investment will help close our $2 million funding gap, ensuring access to affordable and culturally relevant childcare, academic support, college and workforce readiness, and enrichment programs for some of Seattle's most vulnerable residents.

Description

Your support of Empowering Youth and Families Outreach (EYFO.org) EYFO has had a significant impact on the lives of our students. Because of your support, last year, you provided $23,000 in scholarships for thirteen students in spite of the COVID-19  pandemic via Giving Tuesday. We appreciated your support and do not take it for granted. Your vision to make the world a better place continues to make difference at EYFO. Each one of you are making difference, one child at a time.

Our Need
We have an ambitious goal this year to raise $30,000 via GiveBigWA 2022 allowing us to help pay for our new facility and provide college scholarships for graduating high school students from EYFO programs.

About Empowering Youth & Families Outreach
Empowering Youth and Families Outreach (EYFO.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in its 20th year of operation. EYFO facilitates programs for youth preschool through college. The founders, John and Charlett Shoecraft, have over 26 years of experience running community-based programs for youth and families in Seattle, Renton, Federal Way cities of King County in Washington state.

EYFO was birthed because we recognized youth and their families face tough challenges that can sometimes lead to making difficult choices. As a result, the consequences are often tragic and can have long-lasting effects. EYFO's vision for the youth we serve is to create a positive model for kids to pattern themselves after, and to train and equip our youth to have strong values and principles as a foundation for their lives.

EYFO has worked to fulfill our vision and mission by providing services to over 4,000 youth and their families, over the past 19 years, who participate in our various offerings including College and Career Readiness, Financial Literacy and Youth Entrepreneurial Programs.

Testimonial - EYFO Alumni Daria "Mrs. Charlett Shoecraft thanks so much for the EYFO scholarship and the T-Shirt. The money will be very helpful for my future college at Seattle University.  I grew up with EYFO which built my self-esteem, confidence, and socializing skills. I also had the opportunity to get a summer job at EYFO. I appreciate you and the EYFO programs that helped me throughout the years, from preschool until graduation from high school. Thanks for all you do."

Students Who Participate in EYFO Programs 

- 98% Graduate from High School ~~ 98% Attend College ~~ 99% Establish Successful Careers ~~ 

65% Return to EYFO to Work or Volunteer

EYFO provides year-round literacy /leadership programs to low-income at-risk youth in the Greater King County area of Seattle, Washington. Each year we: 

•  Facilitate outreach programs to youth and their families.
•  Offer educational literacy programs to the most at-risk youth.
•  Serve up to 500 youth who participate in our multifaceted programs.
•  Our families have varying economic backgrounds, many of our youth are at-risk and come from predominantly low-income single-parent households, homeless, foster care, and parents who are incarcerated.

The Community Need
Our programs help youth who live in underserved neighborhoods providing a safe environment for youth to retreat to. Our Summer Literacy Program allows us to impact the lives of our young people who often are doing poorly in school and are losing academic ground. We partner with some amazing college students from Seattle Pacific University who provide tutoring in Reading, Math, Science, and Computer skills. 

EYFO Provides Supportive Services 
      •  Preventative programs for at-risk youth
      •  Certified Teachers
      •  Social Workers,
      •  Para Professionals

Impacting Lives
We measure our success based on the number of returning youth and families who come back to give back to our various programs as well at the pre- evaluations prior to the start of our various programs and also returning to cheer on and support the youth at the completion of a program.