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Sunday, November 30, 2025 | Special Advertising Section 20Street Center to help Rainier Valley%u2019sgrowing Italian immigrant population.Now, 115 years later, the organization is still going strong, providing early learning, behavioral health services, after-school programs and more to local youth. During that time, they%u2019vebeen a community impacted bywartime conflicts, a global pandemicand countless funding and policyfluctuations.Due to new policy shifts at both thelocal and federal levels, communitymembers are facing increasing concerns about the availability of services.%u201cPeople should not have a disruptionin the support experience at the Atlantic Street Center or generalbenefits for which they qualify,%u201d saysexecutive director Dr. Pela Terry. %u201cThey may have that at school, or theirparents at school board meetings, ortheir SNAP benefits may change, and all of that%u2019s going to be happening tothem out there. We want this to be theplace of safety and resource.%u201dThroughout every decade andevery generation, children are directlyimpacted by the changes aroundthem. This ripples out to affect theirfamilies and the community at large. Byaddressing the emotional, educationaland social needs of the community across multiple life stages, programs foster resilience, strengthen families andbuild pathways to long-term success.The heart of the communityAtlantic Street Center%u2019s CoRe Therapeutic Gaming program is one ofmany supports that embody a positiveripple effect and illustrate how nonprofitsare shifting their programs to meetchanging social structures. The CoRe program, designed for middle schoolers,pairs evidence-based behavioral health with video games. By incorporating familiar elements,such as video games, CoRe can mitigatesome of the awkwardness or fear that many teens and preteens may feelabout behavioral health therapy. Italso uses games to teach valuable lifeskills, such as teamwork, cooperationand expressing oneself clearly and respectfully.%u201cI like to say all of our services aretransformative,%u201d Terry says, %u201cbut you will not find anything as creative or innovative as taking a video gameand turning it into one of the mostSPONSORED CONTENTPROVIDED BY ATLANTIC STREET CENTER It%u2019s often said that the only constant in life is change.Time and time again, that adageproves true for community serviceorganizations. Community needs and demographics change. Donors shufflein and out. Changes in policies thatgovern, and fund, programs are oftenrestructured based on resources and sometimes eliminated altogether. And the needs of these organizationschange as technology, housing andother forces in daily life evolve.Nonprofit organizations feel the impact of all these changes. Though funding cuts occur regularly, most nonprofit leaders say they%u2019re accustomed to the ups and downs andto quickly shifting programs as needed.This year, however, with larger targeted cuts due to changes ingovernment policies, the impact onindividuals and families may prove to be a bigger battle. 2025 has broughtuncertainty for many about whethertheir Medicaid eligibility will change or if they%u2019ll lose health care coverageentirely. Through it all, these criticalorganizations must also adjust whilestill providing the same level ofsupport and services upon which their communities rely.In 1910, deaconesses with the UnitedMethodist Church founded AtlanticHow service organizations evolve to meet changing community needsAtlantic Street Center's mission is to support families and communities with raising healthy, successful children and youth through direct services andadvocacy for social justice and equity. Learn more at atlanticstreetcenter.org.Curated events, like a Mother%u2019s Day tea party for the Teens As Parents Program, bring together Atlantic Street Center staff and participants. (Atlantic Street Center)Many Atlantic Street Center youth stay involved with the organization throughout high school, including volunteering as mentors and even MCs at program events. (Atlantic Street Center)undervalued yet impactful services.%u201dThanks to the CoRe program,Terry says, teachers are reporting tothe center that students who were previously introverted among theirclassmates, or struggled to effectively express emotion in the classroom,are now participating in activities andinteracting with peers more positively. The CoRe program has proven sosuccessful that schools and communitycenters are receiving requests for similar programs.Atlantic Street Center expects tofocus on assisting families over thenext few years through these lifechanging budget cuts. Still, they%u2019vealso been preparing for them since the 2024 election %u2014 the kind ofproactiveness required for effectiveevolution.%u201cThe bottom line is, we%u2019re not waiting, because we don%u2019t want to react,%u201d saysTerry. %u201cWe aim always to be proactive. We want to address the fear, and we want to replace that fear withassurances.%u201d