Partner Descriptions

HOPE Center: The Gary and Carol Milgard Family HOPE Center is the first of multiple HOPE Centers to be completed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound. HOPE Centers will create a safe, vibrant environment where people are supported to be healthy, knowledgeable, independent, productive, responsible, and caring citizens. They are committed to uniting the community and improving the quality of life by providing quality services, education, and advocacy for youth and families. For more information, please visit www.gcmfhc.org or call 253-502-4665.

Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound: The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Boys & Girls Clubs is the positive place for children ages 6-18 and strives to offer a diversified program in the following six core program areas: Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, The Arts, Sports, Fitness & Recreation, and Technology. Boys & Girls Clubs nurture young people’s self-esteem by instilling in them a sense of belonging, usefulness, influence, and competence. For more information, please visit www.bg-clubs.com or call the Lakewood Branch at 253-502-4660.

Clover Park School District: The mission of the Clover Park School District is to teach all children what they need to know to succeed and contribute to their community. The partnership between the Clover Park School District and the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound promotes the Kids at Hope philosophy between the Club and the new Lakeview Elementary School to open in 2008. Both organizations will be sharing spaces in each other’s facilities, creating an integrated campus, to provide resources to children to keep them active before, during, and after school. For more information, please visit www.cloverpark.k12.wa.us.

Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Program: The Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Program is offered through the Lakewood Family Support Center. It provides six sessions of classes for couples who are considering marriage, experiencing challenges in their relationship and those who want to make their marriage even better. Couples learn how to identify the personal values and needs of their partner, their goals as a couple, and how to strengthen their communication skills and practice cooperative problem solving. For more information, please call 253-840-0116, or email dcomsia@mdc-tacoma.org.

HopeSparks - Formerly Child & Family Guidance Center: The mission of HopeSparks is to strengthen families by inspiring courage and confidence to make a lasting change. The Hope Sparks Guidance Center strengthens families in the Greater Pierce County area, through early childhood education, mental health recovery for young victims of abuse and neglect, and family support services in coordination with our community partners. At the HOPE Center, HopeSparks provides several important services, including: early learning and development services, counseling for Lakewood community and military families and personnel from Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, and Ways to Work. For more information, please call 253-565-4484.

Kids at Hope: The Kids at Hope Northwest Regional Training Office is located at the HOPE Center. Kids at Hope is based upon a concept that states and demonstrates, “all children are capable of success, no exceptions!” It is not just a program, but a belief system supported by culture and then enhanced by programs. Kids at Hope does this by rallying entire communities around the asset building model for children by recruiting schools, youth organizations, police and fire departments, businesses, and families with a common framework, to address children’s needs holistically. Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound is a Partner Founder of Kids at Hope and has embraced this culture at the Clubs. For more information, please email wally@kidsathope.org.

Lakewood Family Support Center: The Lakewood Family Support Center is designed to specifically meet the needs of families living in Lakewood, Steilacoom and DuPont. It has a Public Health Nurse and three Family Support Workers who can provide education and services to help parents raise healthy, well-adjusted children, who are ready to succeed in life and school. The staff will support families in all aspects of parenting and family relationships by listening to their questions and concerns, offering teaching and support in parenting and child development, and connecting them to the services they need. For more information, please call 253-284-9063, or email kcatron@mdc-tacoma.org.

Operation Military Kids: Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is the U.S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support the children and youth of National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers impacted by the Global War on Terrorism. The goal of Operation: Military Kids is to support geographically dispersed children and youth of National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers.

Safe Streets: The mission of Safe Streets is to empower individuals, families, youth, neighbors and organizations to create safe neighborhoods. A Community Mobilization Leader will support the implementation of Kids at Hope and build partnerships and collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club, Clover Park School District, Lakewood Police and other entities in the community to help combat crime and take back the streets in the community. The Youth Leading Change program will build skills in young people that help them sustain a drug and violence-free lifestyle and help develop leadership abilities among youth and adults. For more information, please call 253-584-0404, or email eechols@safest.org.

Planning a Meeting? Our Community Meeting and Training facilities are available for rental by all area nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations. View the rooms, learn about the amenities available and get rental information.