Join Hyun and GiveBig to Community for Youth!

I joined Community for Youth (CfY) in 2012 because I was ready to find a way to be a more active part of Seattle. To find an organization where I can give back and not just be focused on myself all the time. 

I loved the idea that CfY's mission was to inspire and support students to be their best selves through mentoring, learning experiences, and a powerful community.

I stayed with CfY all of these years because I fell in love with the program and all of the people I have met along the way. I truly built a community filled with some of the most inspiring people and feel so privileged that I get to call many of these people my friends and even part of my chosen family.

When I volunteered with the program as a mentor, I appreciated all of the training and support we received from the staff. They were always available to check in on our matches and give advice/support as needed. 

What sets CfY apart from other mentoring programs are the layers of relationships that you build based on how the program is structured. Mentors are paired with high school students from the South Seattle area. They are then put into family groups with 5-6 other matched pairs. And they are all part of the greater community group. This gave us all an opportunity to not only connect with our mentee, but with other mentees in the program, as well as the other mentors.

I'm not mentoring an individual student these days, but I did join the Board of Directors in 2023 and am still trying to stay an active member of the community. 

As a board member, I have a more behind the scenes view on how the program is run and how much work it takes to keep a program like Community for Youth going!

There's a lot happening in the world today. I think it's more important than ever to keep programs like CfY growing so they can support more students as they are navigating a world of unprecedented challenges and opportunities. When we invest in our young people, we invest in the future of our community.

If any of my ramblings inspired you, then please join me in supporting CfY. We are always looking for new mentors or board members! And of course in a time when many nonprofits are losing funding your financial support is more critical than ever!