What Southeast Youth & Family Services does

Southeast Youth & Family Services (SEYFS) is a Black-led nonprofit organization founded in 1974 and headquartered at 3722 S Hudson St in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. Its mission is to assist children, youth, and families in King County in achieving safe, stable, and self-sufficient lives. SEYFS delivers free counseling, early childhood education, and parenting support through four core programs: ParentChild+ (a twice-weekly home-based early learning program for children 16 months to 3 years), Counseling Services (individual, family, couples, and child/adolescent therapy), Strong Connections–Powerful Futures (a culturally informed therapeutic program for BIPOC and East African immigrant/refugee families), and the Parent Project (a 10-week parenting course). Services are delivered via home visits, in-office sessions at the Columbia City location, community workshops, and HIPAA-compliant telehealth, with multilingual staffing in Amharic, Oromo, Tigrigna, Spanish, Somali, and English.

The organization's revenue model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Approximately all programs are provided free of charge to clients, with funding sourced from individual donations and monthly giving programs, corporate partnerships, workplace giving campaigns (King County Employee Giving Campaign and Washington State Combined Fund Drive), foundation grants (Seattle Foundation, HealthierHere), and government-funded programs such as King County's Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program. The go-to-market motion is community-led: SEYFS reaches clients through proactive outreach to schools, community centers, and homes, relying on word-of-mouth referrals and partnerships with organizations including East African Community Services, Horn of Africa Services, and Refugee Women's Alliance. There is no proprietary technology product, API, or commercial software offering; distribution is relationship-driven and the organization operates with a small named management team led by Executive Director Anthony Austin (since 2017) and CFO Latasha Hurst. In 2024 SEYFS celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in September 2025 the Board announced a planned sale of the Columbia City building to strengthen long-term financial health.

Name

Southeast Youth & Family Services

Legal name

Southeast Youth & Family Services

Website

https://seyfs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southeast Youth & Family Services is a Black-led nonprofit founded in 1974 in Seattle that delivers free counseling, early childhood education, and parenting support to children, youth, and families in South Seattle and King County, with multilingual staff and culturally responsive programming for BIPOC and immigrant/refugee communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health and Family Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO)

Keywords

• Youth counseling services
• Early childhood education
• Family support programs
• Community mental health
• Parent education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations, monthly giving programs, and corporate partnerships. Donors can give toward specific programs (ParentChild+, Counseling, Parent Project) or direct where needed.
2. Government Grants and Funded Programs: SEYFS receives grants from foundations like Seattle Foundation, HealthierHere, and participates in government programs including King County's Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program.
3. Workplace Giving Programs: The organization participates in King County Employee Giving Campaign and Washington State Employees Combined Fund Drive, allowing payroll deduction donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southeast Youth & Family Services is a Black-led nonprofit that provides free counseling (individual, family, couples, and child/adolescent therapy), a home-based early learning program called ParentChild+, a culturally informed BIPOC family program called Strong Connections, and a 10-week parenting course called Parent Project. Services are delivered via home visits, in-office sessions, telehealth, community workshops, and school/community outreach to children, youth, and families in South Seattle and King County.

Product overview

Southeast Youth & Family Services offers a coordinated portfolio of social services focused on mental health counseling and early childhood development. The core offerings include: Counseling Services (individual, family, couples, and child/adolescent therapy); ParentChild+ (a home-based early learning program for children 16 months to 3 years); Strong Connections–Powerful Futures (culturally informed therapeutic programming for BIPOC families); and the Parent Project (a 10-week parenting course). These services work together to support youth and families in achieving safe, stable, and self-sufficient lives, with a focus on culturally relevant care for immigrants, refugees, and communities of color in South Seattle and King County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ParentChild+ A free home-based early learning program that matches families with community-based early learning specialists who visit twice weekly to model reading, conversation, and play activities. Serves children ages 16 months to 3 years over a two-year program (September–June). Designed for families in South Seattle and King County.
• Counseling Services Mental health counseling for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families delivered by trained mental health counselors and clinical social workers, addressing depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, relationship issues, and life transitions. Free or reduced-cost regardless of ability to pay, with a Counseling Scholarship Fund available.
• Strong Connections – Powerful Futures (SCPF) A culturally informed, non-traditional therapeutic affinity space serving BIPOC families with a focus on African American and East African immigrant and refugee families. Includes educational workshops, facilitated family dinners, and interactive family activities.
• Parent Project A nationally recognized 10-week course for parents and caregivers raising strong-willed children, providing practical tools to address truancy, defiance, substance use, and family conflict. Free to participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 children served, 20 graduated from ParentChild+ program in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• FAST (Fathers and Sons Together)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with FAST to distribute Family Care Package Fridays - food and household goods to families in need during COVID-19. More than 100 families served per event.
• Local Columbia City BusinessesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses participate in Southeast Day events, donating 10% of sales to SEYFS. Participating businesses include Flying Lion Brewing, Columbia City Art Gallery, Rookies Bar and Grill, and others.
• The ConservatoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting activity booths at Southeast Day 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Kids CarpentryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting activity booths at Southeast Day 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Brain and Body RecessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting activity booths and providing Kids Yoga at Southeast Day 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Southeast Seattle Education CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Southeast Day 50th Anniversary Celebration, supporting community engagement and education initiatives.
• East African Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting immigrant and refugee communities. SEYFS works alongside this organization to provide culturally responsive mental health services.
• Horn of Africa ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving Horn of Africa communities. Collaboration on mental health services for Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali populations.
• Refugee Women's AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving refugee women and families. SEYFS works alongside this organization for refugee mental health support.
• Brave Commitments CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 30+ youth-serving nonprofits formed to unify voices and rally around equity-centered vision for serving children, youth and families. SEYFS Executive Director serves on steering committee.
• Gifts of HopeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization rallying donations of food, clothing, and essentials for neighbors experiencing homelessness. SEYFS shared COVID-19 response funding with this grassroots group.
• You Grow Girl!minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization empowering female-identifying youth. SEYFS shared COVID-19 response funding with this grassroots group.
• Emerging Alliance of Communities of ColorsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition including SEYFS, Congolese Integration Network, Horn of Africa Services, InterCultural Children and Family Services, Iraqi Community Center of Washington, Voices of Tomorrow, West African Community Council. Received $250,000 award from Seattle Foundation for COVID-19 response.
• Jazz Night SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity performer at Southeast Day events, providing youth music education performances.
• Dolls and Gents Drill Team and Drum LineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance group at Southeast Day events, providing youth drill team and drum line performances.
• Daughters of Royalty Drill TeamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance group at Southeast Day events.
• Wa lu-Mien DancersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural dance performance group at Southeast Day events.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Therapeutic Health Services: A Washington-state behavioral health nonprofit providing mental health and substance use treatment, including culturally responsive services. Anthony Austin previously worked here, and its service mix closely mirrors SEYFS's counseling arm.
• Children's Home Society of Washington: A Washington-state nonprofit providing adoption, family support, counseling, and youth services. Comparable as a regional family-and-youth services nonprofit with counseling and early childhood programming, though broader in scope than SEYFS.
• El Centro de la Raza: A Latino-focused nonprofit in South Seattle providing community services including youth programs, housing assistance, and education. Highly comparable as a BIPOC-led, South-Seattle-based social services organization with similar funding model and target population.

Direct peers

• ParentChild+: The national organization that operates the ParentChild+ early home-visiting program that SEYFS delivers locally. Direct national peer/operator of SEYFS's flagship early childhood service, with the same home-visit model for ages 16 months to 3 years.
• Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWA): A Seattle-based nonprofit serving refugee and immigrant women and families with services including mental health, youth programs, and case management. Listed as a strategic SEYFS partner and offers overlapping culturally responsive mental health and family support services.
• East African Community Services: A Seattle-area nonprofit serving East African immigrant and refugee communities with youth and family programs. Listed as a strategic SEYFS partner and provides directly overlapping culturally responsive services to the same Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali populations.
• Horn of Africa Services: A Seattle-based community organization serving Horn of Africa populations, with whom SEYFS explicitly collaborates on mental health services for Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali communities. Comparable mission, geography, and target demographic.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Seattle: Regional YMCA serving the Seattle/King County area with youth development, family programming, and community services. Comparable as a community-rooted, multi-program family and youth services organization, though broader and less culturally specialized.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National nonprofit network providing youth development programming including counseling-adjacent support, parenting engagement, and after-school services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in youth and family services, though not culturally specialized like SEYFS.
• Catholic Community Services of Western Washington: A large Western Washington social services nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, family support, mental health, and housing assistance. Comparable as a regional, multi-service nonprofit offering counseling and family services, though broader in scope and faith-based.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southeast Youth & Family Services