03.20.2013

Treehouse “Grows Up” With New Look & Ambitious Goal

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Rebrand kicks off 25th anniversary of leveling the playing field for youth in foster care

Treehouse, today announced a rebrand of the organization, including a new visual identity and program expansion focusing on improving education outcomes for foster youth. Treehouse has set an ambitious strategic goal that foster youth in King County will graduate high school at the same rate as their peers with a plan for their future by 2017. The organization has unveiled a more contemporary look to both reflect this new focus and to engage with the increased number of teenage youth that it will serve.

“After 25 years, Treehouse is growing up and embarking on its most important work yet,” said Treehouse CEO Janis Avery. “In setting our 2017 graduation goal we are taking an ownership interest in ensuring that all King County foster youth get the essential education supports, basic material needs, and important childhood experiences that they equally deserve and that will enable them to graduate high school and become productive members of our community.”

According to a recent study published by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WISPP), the average graduation rate for foster students in King County is approximately half the rate of their peers and fewer than two percent will earn a college degree. To create a change in the graduation rate of this magnitude, Treehouse will double the number of youth it serves to more than 800 middle and high school students in 17 school districts by 2017. The organization’s new Graduation Success middle and high school education engagement program provides a comprehensive suite of individualized education support services to King County foster youth including educational planning, coaching and supports to keep them on track to graduate.

As part of the rebrand supporting the graduation goal, Treehouse has developed a new, user-friendly website with improved navigation and functionality. The website will enable the community to easily access detailed program information and engage with or help support the organization. In addition, Treehouse has also developed a new logo to reflect its dedication to nurturing the growth in the youth it serves and to connect with its key audience, a diverse mix of kids and constituents.

The new visual identity and program expansion was announced at Treehouse’s largest annual fundraising event, the Champions for Foster Kids Luncheon, where the organization’s patrons donated more than $1,000,000 in support of the graduation goal.

“We are delighted and extremely grateful that our generous supporters are partnering with us to invest in the education and future of children in foster care,” Avery said. “We as a community have a special responsibility to kids in foster care and Treehouse is fiercely committed to improving the outcomes for these youth.”

Since early 2011, Treehouse has secured more than $500,000 in investments from corporate and foundation partners in support of its goal to achieve graduation equity for foster students in King County – a vision that is estimated to require a $12.5 million increase in operating revenue over the next five years. In 2011, Regence BlueShield announced a multi-year commitment totaling $200,000, in addition to a $250,000 commitment from the One Eighty Foundation.