Vashon Youth & Family Services is the quiet foundation supporting many lives — whether it’s new parents, the homeless, youth needing quality before/after school care, Spanish-speaking families needing translation, or individuals needing assistance as they move through a difficult time in their lives. A couple in therapy recently said, “After over 20 years of marriage, it helps so much to get an unbiased perspective on the sometimes toxic way we automatically react to each other!”

We have an excellent staff, increased and enhanced community services and programming, and have successfully reached out to Hispanic/Latinx islanders. We have restarted drug and alcohol intervention support services, with three groups in place and individual counseling. We do not turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. We serve 20% of islanders.

On June 1, we switched to a federally mandated electronic records system. After an initial $65,000 cost for software, and an extra $50,000 in staff expense, ongoing monthly costs for the electronic records system is about $4,000. We planned to offset this increased monthly cost by contracting directly with King County for Medicaid claim processing, eliminating the costly third party we have been using. However, prior to contracting with King County, we were required to replace our antiquated phone system. This, along with meeting other King County requirements, has cost much more than we anticipated.

In 2018 VYFS revenue met expense — we broke even. This year the necessary phone and technology improvements have made it so we are in need of additional dollars.

We need to raise $50,000 by Sept. 30. As of last week, we had raised $25,000, thanks to many of you who have already donated. We are halfway there. If you haven’t given, now is the time. Please go to vyfs.org to donate.

— Carol Goertzel,

Executive Director

Ned-Daniel Kamimura,

Board Treasurer