CREATIVITY, RELATIONSHIPS, AND A WHOLE LOT OF TRUST IN  JESUS

The Pandemic continued into 2021, which presented lots of challenges. But our God is so much bigger than all of that, and He continued to give us opportunities to connect with youth. YFC leaders remained nimble, creative, compassionate, patient, faithful, and relentless in the pursuit of connecting young people with the love of Jesus. Read on for just some of the ways that our staff and volunteers have found to connect with youth throughout last year, and demonstrate God’s faithfulness in the lives of young people in Pierce County.

Service projects • Collected canned goods for the food bank • Popsicles in the park • Renting out theater and watched a movie • Potting plants with kind notes and delivering them to people • Summer party • Barbeques • Bowling and Pizza • Connecting with over 1,100 different kids • Ice skating • Helping kids get a job • Bumper Boats • Defy Trampoline Center • Mini Golf • Ziplining • Board games • Canoeing on the Thea Foss Waterway • 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament • Weekly golf lessons • Carnival • Shopping at the Christmas Closet • Point Defiance Zoo • Waterfall Hikes • 3-day Camping Trip • Rock Climbing • Whitewater Rafting • 13 kids made decisions to follow Jesus • High Ropes Course • Family Christmas shopping • Large group games • Visiting kids at School Lunches • Card games at Mall Food Court • Zoom Small Groups • Bringing lawn games to kids’ houses • Coaching basketball • Foosball • Back-to-School Carnival • Trip to Ocean Shores • Hydration Stations • Discipleship groups in backyards • Basketball at the park • Laser Tag • Trip to Portland • Taking kids to the doctor • Tutoring • Over 50 kids in discipleship or mentoring relationships • Back-to-school shopping • Working on cars • Helping kids get Physicals • Visiting Pike Place Market • Nacho Day • Playing Bump • Writing notes of encouragement • Random acts of kindness • Late Night open gym • Gratitude Feast • Going on walks • Bible Studies • Student leadership training at the lake • Tacoma Rainiers games • Fantasy Lights • Shepherd Leadership Training • Leaders in deeper, Christ-sharing relationships with over 320 kids • National Leadership Conference • Volunteer training • Safely facilitated ministries meeting more in-person • Filled 6 key staff positions: Ministry Director, Community Director, City Life Director, Church Engagement Coordinator, Lakewood City Life Coordinator, Development and Administrative Coordinator

To all our generous volunteer, prayer, and giving partners, thank you for partnering with God this year through Tacoma YFC to bring hope to the youth of our community in a time they have needed it more than ever.