The Foundation for Youth Resiliency and Engagement (FYRE) is a new organization located in the center of downtown Omak, WA established to create a strong safety net of support for young people ages 12-24 living in our rural county. In a community with few resources for young people, FYRE will be a place for them to find safety, concrete supports, advocates, education, and mentors.  The founders of FYRE know the struggles that Okanogan County youth experience because they grew up in this county. The team at FYRE is representative of the diverse youth that live here. Our founders, board, and staff are made up of people who come from the Latinx and Native communities, the LGBTQ community, and the working class. Our stories are those of first generation college students, immigrants, survivors of trauma, and those who have overcome addiction.  These stories help us understand the needs of the youth we seek to serve. The services that we plan on providing are holistic. FYRE will provide programming that focuses on building leadership with our Advisory Councils and LGBTQ support groups. Our one-to-one services will help youth through crisis by providing mental health referrals, education navigation, homelessness support and access to healthcare professionals. Our drop-in center will be a place to decompress, make new friends, and work on homework. Our youth supply closet will be available for youth with limited resources so that a lack of these goods no longer interferes with their ability to obtain a job, join a sport, make a friend, and feel confident.  We have submitted dozens of grant applications, and while we anticipate getting many of them, we need flexible funding to 1) continue building out our support services, 2) help pay for our staff and 3) pay for our operating costs. That's why we are asking you to help with our startup costs.  Our funding priorities for this campaign include: - Building upgrades-we are transforming 1970s era design into something young people will like! We want to have our building revamped for workshops, activities, family support meetings, and homework zones.   - Wages for staff – our goal is to serve Okanogan County and we need to pay the staff on the ground as we continue to seek funding. - Money for concrete supports like food, school supplies, transportation, phones and Wi-Fi.  We will be running this campaign for 45 days with the hopes of raising $25,000 to launch our org and get us off to a good start! Every dollar counts!  Thank you so much for believing in this work and supporting it. Please follow our story on Instagram and Facebook and share with your friends and community.  And thank you for believing in the youth of Okanogan County! Sincerely,  FYRE

Huichun Fan

Leesa Linck

Anonymous

Jeanne White

Paul Ferguson

Barbara Karplus

Carly R

Susan  Speir 

David LaFever

deirdre luvon

Leslee Goodman

Becca Stott

Mary Big Bull-Lewis

Sara L Root

Liz Blackman

Edith Kusnic

Rhoda Walter

Siri Gunnarson

FYRE Startup Fundraiser - It Takes a Village!

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