More About Us
History
More About Us
Southwest Youth & Family Services (SWYFS) is a leading resource for low-income families and youth in southwest King County. Since 1979, SWYFS has continually adapted to the changing landscape of the region while remaining dedicated to offering education, counseling, youth, and family development services within a welcoming environment. For nearly 40 years Southwest Youth and Family Services (SWYFS) has been providing critical services in significantly under-resourced communities of southwest King County, including southwest Seattle, White Center, South Park, Burien, and SeaTac.
Together we can build a community of acceptance, belonging and hope.
SWYFS works to remove barriers to our community’s success and sustainability caused by systemic and economic inequities. Through this commitment SWYFS has become a leading resource for low-income and vulnerable children, youth and families, supporting more than 2,000 individuals annually with holistic, wrap-around services in the areas of education, youth development, behavioral health, and family advocacy. Even if we don’t have the services, we will refer to ensure that families get what they need to succeed. We believe when we all commit to equity and expanding knowledge, we can build a community of acceptance, belonging and hope, where all families thrive.
Our Story
Over the Years
1979
Founded
Southwest Youth and Family Services was first founded as the Southwest Youth Service Bureau Policy Board in 1979, as part of a citywide program to provide neighborhood-based diversion services in West Seattle and White Center.
1992
Expanding
In 1992, three new programs serving hundreds of youth and families were added, and SWYFS doubled in size. We opened the Southwest Family Center, one of the three original family centers in Seattle, which worked in collaboration with other organizations to offer programs designed to strengthen and encourage positive community and family support systems. Parenting programs, community celebrations, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, education opportunities of all kinds, and Family Nights for youth and parents evolved out of our participant-driven process.
2006
Including
SWYFS was chosen as one of three organizations in Seattle to offer the Parent Child Home Program (PCHP), an early learning home visiting literacy program serving very low income two and three-year-old children and their parent or caregiver.
2013
Merging
SWYFS merged with New Futures, expanding our service area to include SeaTac and Burien, and later established another site for New Futures in White Center.
2024
Projecting
SWYFS currently has a staff of 80 who partner with youth and families to transform their futures. We are actively planning to continue expanding our services across the area in the months and years to come.