Tacoma Youth For Christ

🔥 We hear it over and over again.🔥
Thank you for supporting kids at YFC Camp this summer! Your generosity let kids spend a week away from the stresses of home where they could just be kids and experience the love and hope of Jesus.

✨️Current mood: Cue the sparklers ✨️
Happy Independence Day from the Tacoma YFC team! We hope your day is safe and full of fun. 🇺🇸

A huge congratulations to this incredible lady!
Summer graduated with TWO degrees this year, earning both her high school diploma and her associate degree. She is intelligent, dedicated, and hardworking, overcoming huge challenges to earn her degrees while being an incredible mom to her little boy. Summer and Natasha Hall, Parkland & Spanaway Parent Life Coordinator, have been walking together these past three years and it has been amazing to watch her journey.

Our leaders head into tough places to pursue young people desperately needing hope. Those places often present steep challenges stacked on top of our fears and frailties. But we love young people and know every kid deserves to be met right where they're at, so how does a leader embrace their calling and turn challenges into triumphs? Community Ministry Director Tim Chavira shares the answer here: https://tacomayfc.org/embracingthecall/
(Hint: It's less about the leader and more about the Lord.)

Thomas Middle School & Curtis Jr.High/Narrows View Intermediate School Campus Life Clubs kicked off the summer with a trip to the movies to see Inside Out 2! Fun times, good conversations, and meaningful memories are a great way to launch into break. 😎

📷️: Ken Schmidtke

High School Camp starts today! YFC Leaders and youth are arriving at Camp, settling into cabins, and heading into a life-changing week. We're so excited for what God is about to do.

Thank you for your prayers and support! For more info on YFC Camp and how you can help, head to https://tacomayfc.org/ministries/camp/

Nathan is graduating with his associate's degree from Graham Kapowsin and Pierce College. He has been leading at Orting Middle School Campus Life for 1.5 years. He gives himself 100% to anything he does, whether it is leading worship, working at the YMCA, helping run Rally in the Valley, or playing in the jazz band. The thing he does the best is love the Lord. His love for students spills out of his love for God. Kids are drawn to him because of his energy and passion for life. He has been such a blessing to our ministry site!! I am so proud of him. Congratulations, Nathan! -- Heide Maschhoff, Orting Campus Life Coordinator

A HUGE congratulations to the Class of 2024! We're so proud of everything you've accomplished and know that God has big plans for you.

We're highlighting a few of our fantastic grads coming up, so stay tuned!

Repost: -- As they say in Hollywood, “That’s a wrap!”
Just had the last UP Campus Life Club for the school year and now it’s onto our Summer Break activities. Gonna be one epic summer supporting, hanging out, and having fun with the students of UP! I say it often, and I say it with much love, but man oh man do I love what I get to do! Bring on the sunshine 😎

We never let money stand in the way. It costs us $400 to send 1 kid to Camp and this year we're sending over 100. Will you help us make sure that every young person who wants to go to Camp can?
Help cover the cost of YFC Camp for kids across Pierce County by heading to https://tacomayfc.org/ministries/camp/

Adventures, campfires, games, and everything fun is coming this summer! Plus, incredible opportunities to encounter real, caring relationships and the love of Jesus. We're grateful for your support!

Last year we brought 62 students to Camp. This year we're bringing over 100! Every kid that goes to camp has someone who will walk through life with them after camp - that's what makes YFC Camp unique.

It costs us $400 to send one young person to Camp and we never let money be a barrier for them. Help us give this incredible summer experience to our youth.

2023 was our first time back at Camp since 2019 and it was incredible! We say "Camp is where everything changes," and that's not just a catchy phrase, it's true. What happens at Camp does not stay at Camp. What does that mean? We'll tell you at https://tacomayfc.org/whathappensatcamp/

🏕️Camp is coming this June & July! Last year we sent 62 middle schoolers to Camp. This year we're bringing over 100 kids to Camp, including middle schoolers in July and high schoolers in June, and we can't wait!

It costs $400 to send one kid to Camp and we never let money be the reason someone couldn't come. Will you help us by sponsoring a young person, in full or in part, this summer?

Camp is where everything changes. Be a part of that change by heading to the link in our comments.

We build long-term, stable relationships with young people in our community, building trust, friendship, and mentoring relationships that point them toward Jesus. But what does that actually look like?
This link has your answers: https://tacomayfc.org/whatisrelationalevangelism/

To all mother figures, aunties, grandmas, moms, sisters, friends, to pregnant and parenting teens, to everyone who nurtures, encourages, protects, and sacrificially loves those coming next...we're grateful for you and we wish you a happy Mother's Day!

Our Parent Life ministry meets teen parents, moms and dads, right where they are with hope, community, resources, mentorship, and the love of Jesus. There are opportunities for you to join us in supporting teen parents across Pierce County through prayer, giving, and volunteering. For more info, see the link in the comments.

Caring adults change kids' lives. A huge THANK YOU to teachers for all the ways you show up for students. We are so grateful for you!

"Renee is a new volunteer to the Parent Life Tacoma team, and has jumped in with both feet. In a short time, she’s held babies, made cookies, and she’s driven out of her way to show our teen parents that they are valued and loved. Renee shows up with a bright smile, and also asks great questions; two things that go such a long way." - Bebhinn Horrigan, Parent Life Tacoma Coordinator

Thank you, Renee!!

Click the link in the comments to learn more about volunteering with Tacoma YFC.

An important part of Parent Life ministry is building community. Often teen parents can feel isolated from people who share their same experiences. Last Saturday several young moms and dads from the Tacoma Area spent the day at Pt. Defiance Zoo and had a blast!

From Bebhinn Horrigan, Tacoma Parent Life Coordinator: "Just a few of our families at the zoo today. 6 families made it out to enjoy the sun, and make new friends today. Everyone needed naps after walking 3.5 miles across the zoo, parents included.😅"

Head to the link in the comments for more info on our Parent Life ministries in Tacoma and Greater Pierce County.

A big shout out to volunteer leaders Shannon and Chris!
"These two volunteers are the real deal! They help run our weekly gatherings with Orting High School students. They show up to their sports events and best of all, they constantly demonstrate the love of Jesus. I couldn’t ask for a better team!" - Heide Maschhoff, Orting Campus Life Coordinator

Volunteer Leaders like Shannon and Chris are what makes ministry possible. If you'd like more information on how you can volunteer, please visit: https://tacomayfc.org/volunteer/

We're continuing our celebration of our incredible volunteers with Patty and Ryan!
"Patty and Ryan just started their volunteer experience with Campus Life at Claudia Thomas last fall but in a very short time have fully engaged in ministry to students. Together they make a mighty team who serve the school community as well as care for students!" - Ken Schmidtke, Campus Life Director

We'd love to have you on our team of amazing volunteer leaders! Head to the link the comments to learn more.

"Shairell has generously dedicated her time as a volunteer with YFC for approximately two years. Her commitment to assisting and supporting teenage parents cannot be quantified. Shairell's personality is vibrant, full of energy, affectionate, outspoken, and welcoming. We are truly blessed to have her on our team." - Natasha Hall, Parkland & Spanaway Parent Life Coordinator

We're so grateful for leaders like Shairell who give their time to build life-changing relationships with young people and point them towards the hope of Jesus.

There's a way for anyone to get involved. Head to https://tacomayfc.org/get-involved/ to learn more!

We're celebrating our volunteers this month, so please join us in a giant high-five 🤚for Alysa! Alyssa volunteers at the Mentor One80 drop-in for Middle School youth.

Here's what Eldie, Remann Hall and Community Outreach Coordinator, had to say:
"Alysa is a special volunteer whose love for Christ and young people is displayed in so many unique ways. Whether it's her ability to create craft ideas, facilitate games, or engage in meaningful conversations with youth. Alysa epitomizes how important volunteers are in making an impact in the lives of youth!"

Learn more at https://tacomayfc.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Heading into the weekend remembering spring break fun!
Our Campus Life ministries planned some pretty incredible special events for kids over these last two weeks, from an epic scavenger hunt in Orting to a big Spring Break Bash in University Place with youth from UP and Lakewood. Huge thanks to the volunteer leaders who made all this fun possible!

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." - Matthew 28:6
Remembering the life-changing truth of these words today and praying you and your people have a joyous Easter Sunday. 💙

Where are you worshipping this Easter?? Got room for a few more? Tag your church in the comments!

Some extra good news as we head into Easter: Adam*, a student who has been attending Club this year, said yes to Jesus at Thomas Middle School Campus Life's Easter Club this week! He met Site Leader Joey through her crochet club earlier in the year. He was hesitant to come to Campus Life because he wasn't interested in religion. After several months of friendship and invitation, he finally showed up. And this week his life is changed forever.

We had a fantastic Easter Club at Thomas Middle School this week! Check out these amazing leaders who made it happen! 🐰: Jesse, Ruth, Patty, Steve, & Ryan

*Student name changed.

📷: Ken Schmidtke

Nobody panic, but we're actually at 75% sold today!🤯
We have this goal tracker up in our office and it seems like the minute we update it, we've sold more tickets. Thank you!! We are so excited that so many of you are joining us on March 23rd for clean comedy with Aaron Weber AND a chance to support Pierce County youth. Will you help us sell the rest? Head to the link in our comments for tickets and info! 👇👇👇

JOIN US March 23rd at New Community Church. Doors open at 6 PM, show starts at 7 PM. Invite a friend and grab your tickets at the link in our comments!

This is just a snapshot of the amount of equipping Raylene Swanger provides every new mentor. Everything from conversation starters to processing grief, teen su***de, how to develop smart goals, along with how to effectively present the gospel. So cool! Great job empowering and equipping our leaders, Raylene!
📷 & ✏️ Tim Chavira

Kids across Pierce County are hoping for mentors who will show up when they need it most and we'll make sure you have the support you need every step of the way. Interested? Head to the link in our comments and fill out the form to talk to someone about mentoring or serving in another way. We'd love to meet you!