“(A Feed Your Brain Grant from SOWA) was the spark that lit a huge positive fire in our community. It gave the Y the ability to provide the first summer meals and activities program in the county.”

Erica Delma, Director of Development and Community Engagement, Jefferson County YMCA

“It’s an empowering relationship. I have all the answers inside of me, but they’re deep in this maze or I don’t know if it will work. [SOWA is] not telling me what to do; you’re coaching me through it and adding professional development."

Monika Mathews, Executive Director, Life Enrichment Group

“Coaching is really the essence of meeting people where they’re at and creating spaces that enable us to have thoughtful conversations about what a program needs.”

Maria Pia Johnson Barreto,

“Having a few years of the Youth Program Quality Initiative (YPQI) process under our belt—it has been ingrained in us and has become a natural part of all activities and enrichments that we conduct.”

YMCA @ Birch Creek

“A major thing that I think we have taken from Youth Program Quality Initiative (YPQI) is hearing our youth and community voices in designing our programs. Because without their input, the programs will not mean much to them.”

Filipino Community of Seattle