Who We Serve
We serve youth and young adults aged 12 to 28, known as Pathfinders, who are currently in out-of-home placement care or have aged out of the system, ensuring they receive the stability, guidance, and resources needed to thrive. Many of these young individuals have few supportive adults they can rely on. Our mission is to create transformative changes in their lives, making them feel safe, supported, and empowered. By providing essential tools and opportunities, we foster independence, well-being, and long-term success.
Additionally, we extend services by referral only to those impacted by Child Protective Services (CPS), which intervenes in cases of abuse or neglect. Through direct referrals to STORM, these young individuals gain access to vital resources, mentorship, and personalized support, helping them navigate uncertain times while forming meaningful connections that foster growth and stability.
Impact
We are committed to increasing the stability, well-being, and connectedness of young people from foster care. By providing essential resources and fostering strong support networks, we create opportunities for youth to thrive and build independent futures. Since our establishment in 2020, we have made a meaningful impact in our community by hosting multiple outreach events each year and directly supporting over 500 youth annually through intentional giving and resource distribution.
Our commitment to housing stability has provided over 15 days of emergency shelter and facilitated the successful housing of seven young women who recently aged out of care, ensuring a safe transition to independence.
Building on this success, we aim to expand our reach, maximize our impact, and increase our value within the community. We firmly believe that success comes from focusing on goals, not obstacles.
How We Help
Foundation of Hope – Building Resilient Communities
Our Building Blocks model provides a structured approach to equipping young people with the essential tools they need to build strong foundations for their future. Through goal setting, hands-on learning, peer engagement, and wraparound support, we ensure that every young person has access to stability, guidance, and opportunities to thrive.
Recognizing that long-term relationships and strong support networks create more lasting impact than isolated skill-building, we take a holistic, trauma-informed approach to addressing the unique challenges faced by youth in the child welfare system. By fostering meaningful, lasting connections with caring mentors, family, and community allies, we ensure that young people have the support needed to achieve long-term success beyond temporary interventions.
Each building block represents a critical element in a young person’s journey toward self-sufficiency and success:
Every young person deserves a strong support system. We foster long-term mentorship, cultural connections, and family reunification efforts to build resilience and a sense of belonging. Through education, engagement, and collaboration, we ensure youth feel supported, valued, and empowered.
Safe and stable housing is essential. We provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and long-term planning, ensuring youth have a secure place to call home.
The transition into adulthood is a critical phase. We equip youth with personalized strategies, life skills, and long-term planning support to help them navigate independence with confidence.
Well-being is the foundation of success. Our approach prioritizes Emotional Resilience and Emotional Intelligence, equipping Pathfinders with the skills to manage challenges, build self-awareness, and develop positive coping strategies. Through trauma-informed care, life coaching, and peer-driven programs, we create safe spaces for healing, empowerment, and personal growth.
Within our Stay Connected platform, provides a safe, supportive community where youth can freely express themselves, connect with peers, and reclaim their voices. This nurturing space fosters open dialogue, helping young people find answers, develop confidence, and strengthen their personal identity.
We aim to help young people develop strong circles of supportive adults because positive outcomes are only achievable when youth feel safe, supported, and empowered. Our connection-first approach prioritizes long-term relationships over short-term fixes—because sustainable change happens when young people feel safe, supported, and empowered. Studies show that youth with strong mentor relationships are 55% more likely to enroll in college and 78% more likely to volunteer in their communities.
By strengthening these foundational building blocks, we empower youth to take ownership of their futures, break cycles of instability, and build lives of independence, security, and success.
Why We Build Connections
- Strengthen a sense of belonging and cultural ties.
- Improve mental, emotional, and physical health.
- Secure long-term, stable housing.
- Increase school engagement, graduation rates, and post-secondary enrollment.
- Build lifelong support networks with mentors, caregivers, and allies.
- Engage the community in youth success through partnerships and outreach.
How We Build Connections
- Long-term mentorship & peer support for consistency and guidance.
- Culturally relevant mental health services tailored to youth needs.
- Resource networking to expand access to education, employment, and housing.
- Advocacy & outreach to strengthen youth voices and policy impact.
- Safe spaces & community events to foster connection and belonging.
- Self-esteem development through goal achievement, creativity, and empowerment.