Education is at the heart of all Atlantic Street Center services. We focus our efforts on helping children of all ages to flourish academically, emotionally and socially in the present, while helping them to develop the skills and strengths they need to succeed in adulthood.

In support of the child, we also serve the family by providing parent education and life skills classes, support groups, family therapy, and referrals to outside agencies and services.

All Atlantic Street Center services are free to participants. Costs are met through public and private grants and donations.

Each year, our direct service staff serves more than 3,000 youth and their family members.

Our Services
Our four primary service areas are Services for Children, Services for Youth, Counseling Services, and Services for Families.

Who We Serve
Atlantic Street Center directs our resources toward low-income children and youth of color in Seattle’s central and southeast neighborhoods.

Each family is unique, but the following are some of the challenges that the families we serve may be facing: 

• Single parent household or children in foster care
• Household income at or below the federal poverty level
• Limited support system
• Children underachieving academically
• Neighborhood detachment and isolation
• Multicultural identity issues

In 2006, we served more than 3,000 youth and their families.

Our approach
Our approach is twofold. We offer child and youth development activities and family support programs that build skills, strengthen families, and promote self-improvement.

We also offer in-depth counseling services to stabilize families and help youth address difficult challenges.

Real results
A recent program evaluation illustrates the positive changes that take place in the lives of the youth and families Atantic Street Center serves:

- 80% of the youth taking part in our services strengthened their academic skills, and 98% increased their social skills.

- 85% of individuals participating in mental health counseling strengthened their coping abilities.

- 93% of the parents participating in our family support services improved their parenting skills and increased positive communication within the family.