On March 27th 2018, my sister Kymberlee Larsen made the brave decision to leave a violent relationship. She packed up and brought their newborn baby to my home to plan her next chapter. Just days later, we learned the hard way that the period immediately following a separation is the most vulnerable and dangerous time for any domestic violence victim—a critical systemic gap where community safety nets are urgently needed. She chose safety and her partner sought revenge.

With no warning, he invaded my home with a machete. My mother and I were severely injured, my two young children a witness, though thankfully unharmed. My sister, however, was killed in my home that day by her newborn's dad, who was then killed by the responding officers. The trauma was compounded and complex. Not only was our beautiful sister gone, but their son, my sweet nephew was suddenly orphaned, we were all displaced from returning home, and our whole grieving family felt traumatized. But out of the darkest day of our lives grew an undeniable purpose.

The Vision Born from Tragedy:

In the wake of our profound loss, the local Treasure Valley community chose to wrap their arms around our family, showing us that true healing happens when we stand together. That outpouring of collective love became the catalyst for our day to day post-trauma survival. As much support as we felt, though, navigating all the steps to healing was heavy and overwhelming. We realized that if we wanted to prevent other families from enduring this overwhelm during trauma and loss, we had to move alongside conventional shelters and crisis centers to build a proactive, connection-based hub for health and prevention resources.

In 2018, in Kym's honor, we began KYMfest as her celebration of life, also known as the KindYourMind Festival. Then, in 2019 our family founded the nonprofit For You Network, Inc. Our hope was to create more awareness and access in our community of Family Oriented Resources for the Young, Old and Under-served.

Over the past eight years, Kym's legacy has grown from a free memorial and awareness festival into an active, systemic movement, encouraging ways to 'Kind Your Mind' in times of distress. The mission we've set forth continues to build a powerful win-win ecosystem where community support directly sustains long-term healing.

A Self-Funded Support Network

For You Network, inc. is built upon a few core pillars that will directly benefit from having a sustainable source of funding:

The first is our main outreach event, Our annual celebration of life and love, KYMfest! A free community festival that mobilizes social, business, and educational networks to connect vulnerable families directly to healing resources. (www.kymfest.com)

Our K-12 KindYourMind violence prevention presentations, teaching conflict-management and emotional regulation tools in public schools to stop the cycle of violence before it starts.

Our donation-Based Support Groups: Low-barrier emotional recovery circles to de-stigmatize mental health care and heal trauma. Led by trained peer facilitators, we aim to meet people where they are and focus on mindful skills to overcome and grow.

And our newest addition, The Thrift Hub and Resource Center, will become the root supporting system. A model of sustainability, that will end our reliance on unpredictable donations and grants and allow us to contribute to violence prevention and trauma recovery year-round.

Big Next Steps for the Nonprofit!

Now, we are ready to take our mission to the next level by establishing a permanent, brick-and-mortar home for our organization in Nampa, Idaho the heart of the Treasure Valley! We are establishing a Thrift Store & Resource Center that will sell repurposed household and personal necessities, that will house our donation-based support groups, and that will contain a space for community resources to be displayed.

By launching a retail thrift store, we'll build a self-funded safety net, where local shoppers fund the store, the store's retail revenue sustains our annual festival, support groups and youth programs and most importantly, we are no longer reliant on fluctuating public donations and fundraising efforts.

The goal is to raise $27,000 to secure the location, host our grand opening, and build a network of community resources for families in need. Together, we can uplift and care for people through connection and mutual support.

The Why: Prevention is Key

Our vision is to build a center equipped to disrupt the cycle of violence in real-time by connecting people to access the support they need.

Domestic, or intimate partner, violence has escalated into an undeniable public health crisis, accounting for over 20% of all violent crime in the U.S. Idaho's rate of DV-related crime is more than double the national average at 42%. For perspective, 1 in 4 homicides and 49% of all kidnapping incidents in Idaho are DV-related. The impact of violent crime is profound and our state is at high risk of perpetuating more without proper interventions.

The intersection of trauma and violence is also severe—with survivors up to 7 times more likely to face PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Peer-facilitated support groups significantly reduce PTSD recurrence while structured trauma-informed learning in schools also yields a 50% reduction in youth emotional distress. True prevention and intervention must happen at the grassroots level before a crisis escalates.

With these staggering statistics in mind, our programs aim to reduce harm and empower individuals to choose nonviolence. We have launched this campaign with a time-sensitive goal: meet target within the next 2 months in order to secure a physical location for the center in October. This tight timeline ensures that any facility upgrades, repairs or permitting can take place immediately, establishing roots before winter so we can open our doors to families in need by early 2027.

What the Thrift Hub and Resource Center will provide

This community storefront and resource center will serve as a welcoming, multi-purpose space designed to protect and care for our under-served neighbors.

Repurposed Goods: Providing clothing and household necessities to under-served populations with affordable pricing and delegated free shopping days dollar bins.

A Resource Network Department: Connecting community members with various agencies and programs offering local assistance for health, food, housing, or other social services.

On-Site Support Groups: A dedicated, safe space within the building to host free peer support circles and targeted educational workshops.

KYMfest & KindYourMind Merchandise: A physical storefront where every purchase directly funds our operations and increases awareness and outreach.

️ Proven Track Record & Leadership

To achieve this vision, we bring a solid history of localized community trust and professional expertise:

Qualified Executive Guidance: As CEO and President, I hold a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Management. I am a court-certified class facilitator for Batterer Intervention Programs and Parenting courses, operating as a dedicated specialist in violence prevention and trauma-informed care.

8 Years of Local Impact: Operating as an official IRS-delegated 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit since 2019, we have served the community through our annual free family festival, KYMfest, aka the KindYourMind festival, community yard sales, donation drives, and localized pop-up outreach events since 2018.

Established Core Programs: We have delivered nearly 4 years of donation-based trauma support groups, 3 years of in-school youth KindYourMind presentations, and have been featured across numerous news articles, podcasts, and public speaking engagements over the past 9 years.

Where Your Donation Goes (The $27,000 Breakdown)

To secure a building responsibly, we need to ensure our financial foundation is completely solid before we open the doors. Your contribution acts as foundational startup capital for:

$6k-Initial Seed Funding to Get in the Door: Ensures enough startup funds for any facility repairs & safety upgrades. Allows us to modernize the space so it is accessible and comfortable for the retail space and support groups. Covers the cost of clothing racks, shelving, and our resource display board.

$18k- Guarantees our lease is fully covered for 6-12 months, depending on the leasing costs with the property we choose to pursue, while we scale store inventory and establish steady retail operations.

$3k- Convenience/Emergency Cushion: Establishes a vital financial safety net for unexpected maintenance or utility emergencies. Can be allocated to services or tools that optimize time and simplify operations.

How You Can Help Right Now

Donate Today: Every single dollar acts as a literal brick in the foundation of this community hub. Every gift counts toward our October deadline.

Share the Movement: Click the share button to post this link on Facebook, Instagram, or in your group chats. Word of mouth is our greatest asset!

Inquire About Partnerships: Contributing to the cause to reduce violence and heal trauma in our community is a true win-win. Sponsor a specific part of our build-out and gain a visible, year-round legacy of civic leadership and community care. Please use the contact button to reach out and discuss corporate sponsorship.

Thank you for standing with the For You Network, supporting Kym's legacy, and helping us build a self-sustaining future for violence prevention and trauma recovery.

Be Well, Be Love,

Chelsea Larsen

Founder, CEO, Director

For You Network, Inc.

www.foryounetwork.org

www.kymfest.com