Our Work
Since 1989, TOGETHER! has worked to advance the health and well-being of all young people.
Youth and their families are at the center of our work. We are guided by the belief everyone belongs and deserves equitable access to resources needed to thrive. At TOGETHER!, equity, community, and systems change are not buzzwords. They are the values shaping our programs, partnerships, and organizational culture.
For us, impact means elevating the voices of those who are most affected, while strategically adopting the latest research, best practices, and evidence based programs in youth development.
Three main models and frameworks best describe our work:
Combined, these tools support holistic wellbeing for youth and families, promote healthy youth development, and improve school attendance and academic outcomes while boosting families’ engagement.
Our Programs
Club House
Free, bilingual (Spanish/English) out-of-school-time programming before school, after school, and in the summer for elementary and middle school students to engage in a variety of activities to improve their academic and social skills.
We are located at Lydia Hawk & Mountain View Elementary and Chinook & Nisqually Middle School.
The Club House Family Liaison also meets basic needs for Club House families like food, housing, clothing, hygiene, and provides case management to support students and their families.
Tumwater Community Schools
We operate Community Resource Centers in select Tumwater schools as well as basic needs support district wide. Students can easily and discreetly access food, hygiene, clothing, and other items to keep them healthy and happy during school and over the summer.
Each Community Resource Center also serves as a point of entry into the Community Schools complete and personalized services, where staff can get to know a student's individual needs and offer sustainable assistance.
Host Homes
When students are enrolled in school but not living with their parents or legal guardian, our Host Homes program aims to secure safe, identity-affirming housing.
This program combines a community-based, short-term housing solution with case management and complete and personalized support for unaccompanied, housing-insecure youth in North Thurston, Olympia, Tumwater, and Yelm School Districts.
Expanding Your Horizons
For over 35 years Expanding Your Horizons has advocated for diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math (STEAM) fields, increasing opportunities and connections for girls, and trans and nonbinary youth, especially those of color.
This one-day annual conference at South Puget Sound Community College features inspiring keynotes and hands-on workshops led by diverse STEAM professionals. Designed for 6th-9th graders across six counties, this event opens the doors to learning and an inclusive future in STEAM. Since its inception, our event has impacted over 5,000 students.
What Community Members Say
“A middle schooler experiencing homelessness told us he wanted to play sports to be like his friends, but his family’s struggles kept him from being able to get a physical. We finally got him the physical, and when asked what sport he planned to play, he said ‘I don’t know. I never thought I would play anything.’”- Community Schools Manager
“My daughter Janelle has been doing Club House for a couple years now. I became a single parent due to a living situation and Club House has helped tremendously with meals, like for Thanksgiving, mattresses for my children.... It’s just been a great support system.”- Club House Parent Irene H.