Support Washington Youth in foster care this Holiday Season

SEATTLE, WA – Treehouse, Washington state’s leading nonprofit supporting youth in foster care, is calling on individuals, community groups and companies in all corners of Washington state to host donation drives and raise money to meet the increased need this holiday season.

While the holiday season officially kicks off November 1 for most people, Treehouse’s Material and Financial Resources team has been assisting shoppers, shipping online orders and processing funding requests for the holiday season for weeks.

Demand increases as seasons change, making the need for high-quality winter coats, shoes and warm clothing evident. It is especially critical for youth who don’t have or have outgrown their cold weather clothes.

“We are anticipating a greater need this holiday season compared to last year,” said Victoria Kutasz, Resources and Operations Director at Treehouse. “With the recent expansion of statewide eligibility for Treehouse programs, hundreds more youth have enrolled in our programs. We need the public’s support now more than ever.”

Treehouse’s school-aged programs opened eligibility to all Washington youth in foster care to ensure that no matter where a youth is placed, a Treehouse staff member will be by their side, connecting them to educational and community resources for long-term success.

During the 2022 holiday season, close to 4,300 youth received a gift or other support, with thousands utilizing multiple supports.

How the public can help:

• Host a donation drive and encourage your community to make purchases from our wish list. Visit treehouseforkids.org/take-action/host-a-drive/#drive to get started.
• Start a fundraising page. The money raised through peer-to-peer fundraising helps to fill in the gaps in inventory at the Treehouse Store, pay for shipping costs and support funding requests for activities and expenses related to school and youth development. Visit treehouseforkids.org/take-action/host-a-drive/#fundraise to sign up.
• Purchase items from Treehouse’s wish list at treehouseforkids.org/wishlist. This list is kept up to date with the items most requested by youth and their caregivers.

About Treehouse

Treehouse envisions — and strives to create — a world where every child who has experienced foster care has the opportunities and support they need to pursue their dreams and launch successfully into independence. 

We directly support and work alongside thousands of youth in foster care in Washington State as well as their caregivers, educators, school administrators and social workers to ensure each youth has individualized plans and support.