Impact Narrative from Statistics

Story/Context At 8 a.m. on a Saturday in 53215, Jazmine R., 16, lined up bunches of collards and cilantro at the Block-to-Table Youth Market and practiced making change before the first neighbor arrived. [BENEFICIARY PROFILE: Youth apprentice at Block-to-Table Youth Market, Milwaukee South Side; STORY CONSENT: Written consent from youth and guardian (05/2025); first name and last initial used; no sensitive details] We grow youth leadership and neighborhood health through community agriculture and micro-enterprise. In our January–June 2025 pilot season, we engaged 42 teens (ages 14–18) from low-income households—78% Latino/a; 12% Black; 10% other/multiracial—across Milwaukee’s South Side (ZIPs 53204 and 53215).

What Changed (Numbers) - 42 youth apprentices completed an 80-hour paid training (2024: 28). That is two full work weeks per teen—3,360 total youth-paid learning hours. - Financial literacy gains: 86% (36 of 42) increased their scores by at least 20 points (2024: 61%). Average pre-program score rose from 56/100 to 78/100. - Food access: 18,400 pounds of produce were harvested and distributed (2024: 12,300). That’s roughly 55,000 servings of fruits and vegetables. - Food safety: 72% (30 of 42) earned ServSafe food-handler certification (2024: 55%). Relatable equivalents - 18,400 pounds is about 9 tons—enough for approximately 55,000 produce servings at the Saturday market. - 80 hours per youth equals two full-time work weeks, building real workplace habits and paychecks.

What It Means These results matter because first jobs—and the skills to manage a paycheck—set the foundation for lifetime earning, while affordable produce strengthens neighborhood health. We exceeded expectations in both scale and depth: more teens participated, and their average financial literacy jumped 22 points, suggesting that paid practice at the market reinforces classroom lessons. Youth also reported stronger relationships with adult mentors and greater confidence speaking with customers. Neighborhood elders noted increased foot traffic and more fresh options on Saturdays—a sign the market is becoming a trusted, local source. Progress still to make: while ServSafe certifications improved to 72%, we want to reach at least 80% next season so more youth can qualify for higher-wage food jobs. Weather-related delays trimmed early harvests, reminding us to invest in season extension and backup sourcing. Jazmine R. reflected, “I used to get nervous talking to people. Now I can greet customers, explain prices, and make change. It feels like I’m part of the neighborhood.”

How We Measured We tracked attendance, training hours, and certifications through program attendance logs; financial learning through pre/post quizzes; produce and sales through harvest and point-of-sale logs; and youth experience via surveys. All data were pulled from Apricot case management and cross-checked by program staff. Limitations: this was a small pilot with no control group; weather affected yields; and some self-reported items may include response bias.

What’s Next - For neighbors: Shop the Block-to-Table Youth Market or volunteer for a two-hour Saturday shift to greet customers and bag produce. - For small businesses: Host a one-day pop-up or mentor a teen on customer service basics. - For donors under $1,000: Sponsor one youth stipend at $50/week for the fall cohort or underwrite ServSafe exam fees for two apprentices ($85 each). Planned improvements for fall: expand to 50–60 apprentices, add weekday farmstand hours in 53204 and 53215, and offer targeted ServSafe tutoring to reach an 80% pass rate. With your partnership, we can grow first jobs that pay, skills that stick, and fresh food that stays local.

Suggested visual Title: 2024 vs. 2025 Pilot—Youth Skills and Food Access Axes: X-axis = Metric; Y-axis = Count or Percent Data points: Apprentices (2024: 28; 2025: 42); Financial Literacy +20 points (2024: 61%; 2025: 86%); Produce (2024: 12,300 lb; 2025: 18,400 lb); ServSafe (2024: 55%; 2025: 72%) Caption: The 2025 pilot grew both participation and outcomes across all key measures.

By Marisol Vega, Program Director, Southside Fresh Collective.

Story/Context [“Jay,” 16, high school junior in Meade County; STORY CONSENT: Parental and youth verbal consent documented (03/2025); pseudonym used; non-identifying details only.] After basketball practice on a Tuesday, Jay stepped into the library’s private telehealth room and met his counselor online—no long drive, no missed shifts at his family’s ranch. Two months later, he tells us he “doesn’t feel alone” and keeps his weekly sessions.

Through our TeleTherapy Access Network (TAN) in Western South Dakota—serving seven frontier counties (Butte, Harding, Meade, Perkins, Corson, Dewey, Ziebach)—we expand timely, affordable mental health care across rural communities. FY2025 to date (July 2024–May 2025), TAN supported adolescents and adults ages 12+, with clients identifying as 42% Native American and 58% non-Native; a mix of uninsured and Medicaid.

What Changed (Numbers) - Access grew: 612 clients completed 4+ teletherapy sessions in FY2025 to date, up from 355 in FY2024. That’s enough people to fill about 12 standard 50-seat school buses. - Faster starts: Median wait time dropped to 9 days from referral to first appointment (down from 28 days in FY2024)—nearly three weeks earlier care. - Symptom improvement: 64% of clients experienced a 5+ point reduction on the PHQ-9 depression scale (vs. 41% in FY2024). Within the FY2025 cohort, average PHQ-9 moved from 14.1 at intake to 8.2 at latest—on average, a shift from moderate toward mild depression. - Staying engaged: 71% were retained at 8 weeks (≥4 sessions), compared with 52% last year—about 7 out of every 10 neighbors stayed with care.

Relatable context: 612 clients is roughly the number of people served in a busy county clinic month; a 19-day faster start means first help comes almost three weeks sooner, which matters in crisis-prone seasons.

Qualitative insights: Clients cited privacy and reduced stigma when using telehealth rooms at libraries; ranch hands appreciated evening appointments during calving season. As Tanya White Eagle, Community Health Worker in the Cheyenne River area, shared (quoted with consent), “When counseling is just a secure link away—and there’s a quiet room at the library—people actually come. It fits life out here.”

What It Means In frontier counties where winter roads, long distances, and tight budgets delay care, earlier starts and steady engagement are essential for mental health access and suicide prevention. The scale-up from 355 to 612 clients and the improvement in both symptoms and retention exceeded our FY2025 expectations. Progress lagged where broadband was weak and when clients lacked devices, which limited video quality and sometimes led to phone-only sessions. Still, moving the average PHQ-9 from 14.1 to 8.2 suggests many clients are experiencing meaningful relief.

How We Measured We analyzed de-identified electronic health record extracts (Athenahealth), standardized PHQ-9/GAD-7 screenings at intake and every four sessions, and scheduling system timestamps; analyses were conducted in R with an IRB exemption determination. Limitations: 18% of clients did not complete follow-up screenings, variable broadband limited video for some visits, and we did not use a randomized comparison group.

Simple visual to include Title: TAN Outcomes—FY2024 vs. FY2025 to Date (July 2024–May 2025) Axes: X-axis = Metric (Clients Served, Median Wait Days, PHQ-9 ≥5-pt Improvement %, 8-week Retention %); Y-axis = Value Data points: FY2024—Clients 355; Wait 28; PHQ-9 Improvement 41%; Retention 52%. FY2025—Clients 612; Wait 9; PHQ-9 Improvement 64%; Retention 71%. Caption: TAN expanded access and improved engagement while reducing time to first care.

What’s Next With partners, we can close remaining gaps. Immediate opportunity: Fund 50 data-enabled tablets at $120 each to reach clients without devices, and underwrite 100 travel stipends at $40 each for in-person referrals when teletherapy indicates higher-acuity care. Next, we will deepen evening and weekend coverage through calving and harvest seasons and report subgroup outcomes to ensure equitable progress for Native and non-Native clients.

By Dr. Lena McAdams, Director of Impact and Evaluation, High Plains Behavioral Health Alliance.

Story/Context “Alicia M. unlocked her new apartment in Tacoma and pointed out the bus stop to her daughter: ‘That’s how we’ll get to school and work on time.’” [STORY CONSENT: Written consent on file (01/2025); family requested first names/initials only; no trauma details] Through Keys to Home Rapid Rehousing in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, we help neighbors like Alicia move quickly from homelessness into stable homes. We end homelessness by pairing housing with tailored supports. In Calendar Year 2024 (with follow-up through September 2025), we served families with children and single adults exiting homelessness: 38% Black/African American; 22% Latinx; 14% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 9% Native American/Alaska Native; and 41% living with a disability.

What Changed (Numbers) - 1,284 households moved into housing within 90 days (up from 1,050 in CY2023). - 88% remained housed at 12 months (up from 82% in CY2023)—about nine out of ten neighbors sustaining housing. - Median days to lease-up fell to 76 (from 96 in CY2023)—about the length of a school quarter. - Employment among heads of household rose from 31% at intake to 47% at exit (vs. 36% at exit in CY2023). - Within the 2024 cohort, people were homeless an average of 142 days before enrolling; after enrollment, the median time to lease fell to 76 days—nearly cutting the wait in half.

Qualitative insights: Landlord partners told us the damage‑mitigation fund was decisive in approving applications. Parents shared that once housed near transit and school, children’s attendance stabilized. As Alicia put it, “Having a lease changed our routine—now I can say yes to extra shifts and still be there for pickup.”

What It Means Faster lease-ups and stronger 12‑month retention show that pairing rent assistance with tailored supports is working across Puget Sound. The jump in employment at exit signals growing financial stability, which is critical to staying housed in a high-cost market. We also saw progress in enrolling and housing communities disproportionately impacted by homelessness, including Black, Latinx, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaska Native households. Where we lagged: rising rents and voucher processing delays continued to slow time-to-lease in some properties, and county-level market differences shaped outcomes. Still, 2024 outperformed 2023 on every core measure—fewer days to keys, more people stably housed, and more earners at exit.

How We Measured We use Regional Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) exports aligned with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definitions, conduct quarterly file audits, and verify 6‑ and 12‑month housing retention through participant calls, landlord confirmation, and checks against state benefits databases. Nine percent of households were unreachable at 12 months. We are transparent that rising rents and voucher processing delays affected some timelines, and results vary by county.

Suggested Visual Title: Keys to Home—Faster, Stronger Results (CY2023 vs. CY2024) - X‑axis: Year (2023, 2024) - Left Y‑axis (bars): Households housed (1,050; 1,284) and Median days to lease (96; 76) - Right Y‑axis (line): 12‑month retention (82%; 88%) Caption: From 2023 to 2024, Keys to Home housed more households, cut lease-up time, and improved one‑year housing stability.

What’s Next To keep pace with need and shorten time-to-lease further: - Major donors: Underwrite the Flexible Move‑In Fund at $1,500 per household to secure units fast. - Institutional funders: Commit a multi‑year pledge to stabilize 300 additional households and expand landlord risk-mitigation in Pierce and Snohomish. - Workplace-giving leaders: Sponsor the Employment Bridge so 250 heads of household can connect to jobs during the first 90 days of housing. Next, we will deepen landlord partnerships, streamline voucher processing with housing authorities, and scale school‑adjacent placements so kids can stay in class and caregivers can sustain work.

By Naomi K. Park, Chief Program Officer, Pacific Shelter & Housing Partnership.